Magnetic Personalities
by Orla
Summary: Sequel to 'Opposites Attract'. Magneto is still a teenager and still lives with the X-Men. Everything is going well, but new threats will test his resolve and his relationship with Rogue. COMPLETED!
1. Prologue

Magnetic Personalities

An X-Men Evolution Fanfiction 

By Jaelle and Orla 

Prologue 

*** 

Disclaimer: All belongs to Marvel. etc, etc, etc. Damn it all. 

Authors notes: This is a sequel to our previous story "Opposites Attract", an AU ending to Season 2. This story picks up somewhere around the end of Season 2. 

Words in //slashes// indicate telepathic conversation. 

*** 

All was quiet in the X-mansion on a beautiful summer morning. The day was calm, the house was just beginning to stir as the various students finished getting ready for school after breakfast, and it was another lovely day in Bayville. 

In the bathroom, the toothbrush that Erik Magnus Lensherr had been lifting to his mouth clattered to the floor as he stared at his reflection in shock. 

The former Master of Magnetism known as Magneto had been living with the X-Men ever since being "youthenised" through an accidental side-effect of using a second copy of the World War II-era Project Rebirth to save his life and return him to his prime. Not only had he lost most of his memories of his former life as a mutant terrorist in the process, as his 18-year-old body testified, he'd overshot the mark slightly. 

While living with the X-Men he'd become part of the team, even to the extent of joining them on several missions. Despite forming friendships with the other young mutants around him (notably the mutant girl known only as Rogue), there was still the occasional moment of nervousness in the X-Men when they thought that he might remember his old ways of destruction and violence, seeking the domination of mutant-kind over humans. 

And so, when Scott Summers entered the shared bathroom and saw Erik staring aghast at his reflection, he feared the worst. 

"Erik? What's wrong?" 

"Ghk!" Erik said, pointing at his reflection. "Hnk!" 

*No!* Scott thought. *Please don't let him be getting his memories back.* 

"What's wrong?" He repeated, a little louder this time. 

Erik took a deep breath. 

"What's WRONG???!!!"  
  
Scott flinched at the nearly hysterical tone of voice. 

"Look at my FACE!!!!" Erik wailed. 

"Uhm, it looks the same as usual," Scott crossed the fingers of his right hand, and raised his left to the ever-present ruby-lens sunglasses he wore. 

"Are you BLIND?!" Erik shrieked. "LOOK AT ME!" 

"What's all the shouting about?" 

Kurt Wagner bamfed into the room, his blue fur sticking up every which way. "Ach! I hate morning fur." He shot a casual glance Erik's way and froze. "Oh man!" 

"Sshhh!" Scott said hurriedly. 

"How can I be quiet?" Kurt demanded. "That's the biggest zit I've ever seen!" 

"Noooooo..." Erik moaned. 

Scott blinked. "A pimple? You're getting all worked up over a _pimple_?" 

"It's on my NOSE!" Erik howled. "Everyone will see it! I can't believe this, I've never had a pimple before in my entire LIFE! I've never been so embarrassed! It's not fair! I hate being a teenager!" 

He stormed out of the bathroom. 

"At least he took it well," Scott offered lamely. 

Kurt shook his head. "Right on the nose. That's rough dude. Maybe the Prof could make him an image inducer to fix the problem." 

"I think you're overreacting just a tad," Scott said in irritation. 

Elsewhere in the mansion, someone else was coming to the same conclusion. 

"Are you SURE you're really eighty years old?" Rogue demanded. "Because right now ya're acting like a great big baby!" 

Erik glared at her. 

Rogue glared right back. 

Unlike most of her teammates, Rogue had no fear that Erik would regain his memories of his time as Magneto, Master of Magnetism. This was because she knew that he already had. Despite this, he'd elected to stay with the X-Men and see if their dream that humans and mutants could live together in peace could really work. The only ones who knew of his regained memories were Rogue, and Professor Xavier himself. 

Of course, if you'd read our first story, Opposites Attract, you wouldn't have needed me to tell you all this. 

But back to the story. 

"It looks awful," Erik whined. Then he winced as he listened to himself. Oh God, he was turning into a whiny teenager, somebody shoot him. 

Rogue was unsympathetic. "They happen to everyone." 

"They never happened to _me_," Erik snarled. 

"Poor baby," Rogue mocked him gently. "Here. Ya got a variety of methods to deal with it, so here's some cream, concealer and a cleanser. And hurry up! You just got done with all of your Saturday detentions last week, you don't want to get one for your collection of tardies." 

Grumbling, Erik accepted her offering and headed for one of the other bathrooms. As he turned the corridor corner he paused. 

"And I'm not a day over seventy-two!" 

Rogue just smirked at him, and he realised what he'd said. 

"Argh!" 

Ears burning, Erik retreated to the safety of the bathroom. Damn it all! She'd gotten him again. 

Ever since Rogue had found out that his memories had returned to him, and that he intended to stay, she'd begun a campaign to find out more about him. So far he'd managed to avoid giving her too many details, but she was slowly getting better and better about teasing information out of him. 

As he attended to his face he contemplated the young mutant. Ever since their adventures a few weeks ago, Rogue had been... warmer towards him. His face heated as he remembered the way Charles had looked at him the other day when he and Rogue had been laughing together. A knowing smirk. Dammit! He wasn't here because of Rogue, he wasn't interested in Rogue. She was just a friend! A fellow mutant! A potential ally in the cause of mutantkind! 

"ERIK! HURRY UP!" 

And a damn nuisance sometimes. 

"Coming!" Erik yelled back. 

He flung open the door to the bathroom. 

"We'll have to run," Rogue informed him coolly. Then her lips curved in an unusual smile and her eyes twinkled. "Are ya up to it?" 

Erik couldn't resist. "Ready, set, GO!"

The two mutants sprinted from the mansion, and Erik was only slightly horrified to find himself joining Rogue in laughter as they ran through the gardens. They raced down the street and through some of the back-alleys of Bayville, taking the shortest route to school. 

"We're making good time," Rogue said, glancing at her watch. The third one this month. Damn magnetic powers! 

"We should make it on time as long as nothing..." 

"THERE THEY ARE!" 

"... happens..." Eric trailed off. Rogue shot him a Look. "Ya just HAD to go and say it, didn't ya?" 

They turned to see three men approaching them from the other end of the alleyway. 

Erik and Rogue stared at them. 

"Yours?" Rogue asked calmly. 

Erik grimaced. "Pyro, Colossus, and Gambit. Thank goodness Sabretooth isn't here." 

There was a roar in the background. 

"So much for goodness," Rogue began to back up as the others approached. "Why are they _here_?" 

"They probably want to take me back and make me be what I was." 

"Is there a way to DO that?" 

"Probably. I haven't thought about it much." 

"Oh crap." Rogue looked at the mutants. "Well, big one first." 

So saying, she knocked Colossus head over heels using her magnetic powers. 

"Stand down! I command you!" Erik bellowed at the remaining two. Then Sabretooth tackled him from behind. 

"No more commands, brat," he growled into Erik's hair. "Once you're back to yourself, you'll thank us." 

Rogue magnetically wrapped a beam around Pyro, tightening it until he lost consciousness, then turned to find herself confronted by the remaining Acolyte. *Gambit Ah think Erik said. Crap. He coulda mentioned his powers.* She grumbled to herself. 

Gambit smiled at her, and all thoughts fled her mind. *Wow* 

"So you're the little sweet that's been keeping the Master of Magnetism away from his post," he said softly, a faint French accent colouring his tone. "He does have odd tastes, our leader. You must be a rare sweet indeed, chere." 

Something started screaming in Rogue's head. 

Gambit picked up her hand and gently bestowed a kiss on the back of it. Unfortunately, Rogue was still wearing her "civilian" gloves. The ones with the open backs. His lips were soft on her skin. 

*Wha?* Rogue was too enchanted to pull away, as Gambit's body went rigid. Then she began to think again. 

"EWWWW!!! You're flirting with me! GROSS!" Rogue smacked Gambit away. "And now Ah've got your slimy thoughts in mah head! MERDE! Qu'est-ce qu'a pu probablement tourner mal?" [1] 

Erik finally managed to beat Sabretooth back by pelting him with 'thrown' metal bars, finally throwing one that caught Sabretooth right between the eyes, knocking him out. "Rogue! Are you alright?" He demanded anxiously as the girl ran up to him. 

Rogue looked at him curiously, and then smiled sweetly. Erik's heart paused briefly, and then resumed beating at least twice the normal speed. 

"R-Rogue?" 

"Erik," she asked flirtatiously. "Do you _like _me?" 

Erik swallowed. "Um, yes?" 

She brushed her hair out of her face and leaned closer to him, still smiling, this time more seductively. "Reeeeallly?" 

"Yes!" Erik blurted. "Yes I do. Very much. More than I should." 

"Awww, that is so sweet," Rogue took his hands carefully and placed an object in them. "This is for you, for being such a sweetheart." She looked deep into his eyes, and Erik melted. 

She turned and walked away and he stared after her longingly. Then his eyes went down to see what token she'd left him. 

The Queen of Hearts glowed one final time before exploding in his hands. 

"THAT'S FOR HIRING SUCH JERKS!" Rogue yelled at him from the entrance to the alleyway. "Thanks to them we're going to be late to school... AGAIN!" 

"Oh damn." 

Erik sprinted to catch up to her. "It's not my fault! And that was a rotten trick!" 

Rogue widened her eyes and stared at him with huge eyes. "Are you mad at me?" 

"GAH! Stop doing that!" 

"Sorry," Rogue giggled. 

Erik eyed her nervously. "You didn't hold on for too long again did you?" 

"NO! Anyway, HE touched ME!" 

Erik paled. "He WHAT!" He knew well the Cajun's Casanova reputation. 

Rogue laughed at him. "Relax." She waved her gloved hands at him in explanation and then frowned. "But it's still awful." 

"Oh well," Erik shrugged. "At least there's a silver lining." 

Rogue glared at him. "And what would THAT be?" 

"Didn't you tell me you had a French test first period?" 

Rogue's eyes widened and then she grinned. "C'est vrai! Quelle fortune!" Then she smirked. "And Ah have a science test third period. Hey Erik, c'mere." 

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!!!" 

** 

"Where are my socks?" Pietro yelled, zooming into his sister's room he paused and looked around. 

Wanda levelled the glare of death (TM) at him. "Pietro, there is no remote possibility of your socks EVER turning up in MY room, so... GET OUT!!!"

"She's in a bad mood?" Fred asked as Pietro came down the stairs more slowly that usual... due to the lamp wrapped around his head. 

"That's what makes you such a stimulating conversationalist, Blob... your quick wit and excellent grasp of the obvious," snarled Pietro savagely. "Now shut up and help me get this thing off my head!" 

Lance raised an eyebrow as he passed the odd, but highly amusing, spectacle of Fred attempting to free Pietro. He didn't offer to help, mainly because it was funnier to leave it be and also because he had to pick up Kitty. He smirked as he exited the Brotherhood house. Really, he should've hit on this plan earlier... hiding Pietro's socks had been a brainwave. The silver-haired speedster was bound to stir the rest of the house up leaving Lance free to slip out unhindered. 

However, Wanda caught up to him just as he reached the jeep and thwarted his brilliant plan. Without speaking she hopped in the back and proceeded to glare at him, drumming her fingernails on the side as he stared at her. "Well?" she said finally. "Are you going to start this junk-heap up or what?" 

"I..." Lance fumed. There wasn't very much he could say. Certainly the prospect of telling Wanda to get out wasn't good. She had a habit of making people REALLY regret it when she was annoyed. "Fine," he snapped, getting in and starting the jeep. "But we're picking someone up." 

"Kitty?" Wanda smirked. "I know. Rogue told me."

Lance scowled. Unfortunately he didn't have grounds to gripe about Wanda's friendship with the Goth X-Man. Still, he really wished the two girls weren't friends... despite the bonus of them driving Pietro crazy... it was just such an unnerving combination. 

"Wanda? Sweetums, wait for me!" Todd's voice filtered out and Wanda jabbed Lance in the back. "What are you waiting for?" she hissed. "Drive!" 

"Stop ordering me about!" Lance snapped, but he put his foot down and accelerated away with more speed than usual, glad - for once - to avoid having Todd as a passenger. It wasn't that Lance disliked him, but Todd's crush on Wanda was sickening for everyone... not just her. 

Kitty was waiting outside the gates of the Xavier mansion, hopping from one foot to the other in her impatience. She blinked when she saw Wanda in the car, but said nothing about it, just smiling hello as she jumped in the seat beside Lance. 

"We could take Rogue as well," Wanda said before Lance started the jeep. 

"We can't," Kitty said, twisting to face her. "She and Erik went already." 

"Oh," Wanda frowned. She accepted Erik to a degree... he wasn't the man she remembered, but she still didn't trust him completely. 

"It was so funny," Kitty continued. "He had this monster zit on his nose and, like, Kurt said..." 

"Zit?" Wanda repeated. 

"Yeah, he was SO upset!" 

An odd sound startled Lance and Kitty. They both looked at Wanda and were even more startled. 

Wanda was laughing 

** 

"See? I told you that we would make it in time and here we are with..." Erik checked his watch. "Hmm... I guess five or ten minutes to spare." 

"You guess?" 

"I'm having trouble with my watch again," he said ruefully, shaking his wrist. 

"Huh," Rogue glanced around as they walked through the main school entrance. "Y'know, we shouldn't have done that, what if someone saw us flying?" 

"I doubt that," Erik said loftily. "We were quite high and came down in a deserted area..." 

"But you don't know for sure!" Rogue argued. 

"Will you stop being so pessimistic?" 

"Isn't that what being a Goth is all about?" A mocking voice sounded behind Erik and he barely contained the flicker of annoyance that flashed across his face. 

"Oh, hello Risty," he muttered unenthusiastically as Rogue cheerfully greeted her friend. 

"So _nice_ to see you too, _Erik_," Risty gritted. She smiled at Rogue. "Sooooo, all ready for the test this morning?" 

"As ready as Ah'll ever be," Rogue sighed. "What kind of sadist sets a test for first period?" 

Risty didn't answer; she was too busy staring at Erik. "Why Erik," she smirked. "What IS that on your nose?" 

Erik glared at her, but before he could think of some cutting remark another, equally unwelcome, voice intruded. 

"Hello Rogue, Risty" Wanda walked into Erik's view. "Erik." She looked at him and made a peculiar snorting sound. Rogue glanced curiously at her friend. "Are you laughing?" 

"Me? No, no, not at all," Wanda's eyes fixed on Erik's nose and her lips twitched. 

Erik fumed. "If you _ladies_ will excuse me, I am going to my first class," he said stiffly. "See you at lunch, Rogue." He stalked away with all the frigid dignity he could muster, ears burning as the three girls starting laughing behind him. 

End of Prologue 

[1] Literally, "What else could possibly go wrong?"   


***  



	2. Chapter 1: A new adversary

Disclaimer: All belongs to Marvel. etc, etc, etc. Damn it all. 

*** 

Chapter 1 : A new adversary 

** 

The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and it was a Monday lunchtime at school. Despite this, Rogue was in a strangely upbeat mood. 

"Ah feel good today," she said out loud. "Mah French test went unexpectedly well, and Ah had plenty of rest, thanks to us getting out of this mornings danger room session because Wolverine had to go clean up the rest of your mess." 

"MY mess?" Erik objected. 

"Well it was YOUR robot," Rogue shot back. 

The cleaning up of the remains of the Nanny robot and its various clones after their destruction some weeks ago had taken a considerable amount of time. However, it now seemed that the end was in sight, and Wolverine had volunteered to go and double check that there were no loose ends. 

Erik merely grunted and drank his juice. 

"THERE you are," Risty said, walking up to them. "Nice table choice Erik, it took me _ages_ to find you. I'm starting to think you're trying to avoid me." 

"Well I _was_," Erik muttered. 

Rogue kicked him under the table. "Where's Wanda?" She asked. 

"Dealing with her sockless brother," Risty sighed. "Boy that guy can whine." 

"Tell me about it!" Erik sighed. 

"Huh?" 

Rogue kicked him under the table again. 

Risty regarded him with narrowed eyes. "I guess it's not _all_ Pietro's fault," she said casually. "He's obviously been poorly brought up. His father probably had no idea how to control him. He was probably too busy being out every night drinking and carousing with women." 

The tips of Erik's ears turned bright red. "I doubt it," he managed to say. "He probably just had a lot of stress in his life." 

"Carousing with women huh?" Rogue repeated, an evil smile on her face. "Ah can believe that!" 

"ROGUE!" 

"Something the matter, Erik?" Risty enquired sweetly. 

Erik wished that something would interrupt this teasing session. Rogue seemed to be enjoying it far too much! 

"You are coming with me now!" 

"Oh God," Erik buried his head in his hands as Colossus (in his non-metal form) came up behind him. "And I wish for a million dollars." 

"Oh not _you_ again!" Rogue complained. "Didn't we teach you a good enough lesson this morning?" 

Risty blinked. "Who are these people?" 

"People?" 

"Bonjour." 

"Aw crap." Rogue turned to see Gambit smiling at her. "Uh, Risty, can you go and get, um, Scott for me? Uh... these are people he needs to talk to as well." 

"Sure, okay," Risty backed up. She clenched her fists, wishing that she could do something, but knew that any unusual activity on her part would reveal her true identity, and the time was not yet right for that. "I'll just go get him." 

"Don't hurry off on our account," Gambit smiled, moving to intercept her. 

"Get away from her!" Rogue got in between him and Risty. "Ya damn flirt!" 

"Don't take it too hard, ma petit choufleur," Gambit laughed. 

Rogue blinked for a minute, thinking. "You called me a cauliflower?" She asked incredulously. 

Gambit sighed, "It's more romantic en francais, ne c'est pas?" 

"You called me a CAULIFLOWER!" 

"That is a bit off," Erik said, from where he was facing off against Colossus. "With all the green she wears I'd have gone for broccoli myself." 

"Vegetables? When did that become flattering?" Rogue demanded. 

"Pay attention!" Colossus grumbled, armouring up. "You will come with us." 

"No I won't," Erik said. "And when will you people learn? Metal. Magnetism. STUPID!" 

With one gesture, he sent Colossus flying. 

"Honestly! Who hired these people?" He muttered. 

"You did," Rogue reminded him. "Little help here?" 

She was currently holding off Gambit with a magnetic shield, and trying not to look into his eyes. 

Erik gestured again, and a rubbish bin flew over and upended itself over Gambit's head. 

Rogue's eyes widened at the stream of French swearwords that emitted from beneath it. "And me without mah French dictionary," she murmured. 

"Was it only the two of them this time?" Erik asked, looking around. 

A ring of fire sprung up around the two mutants. 

"Ah'll say that's a no," Rogue said, backing up against Erik. "Where is he?" 

"Listen for the insane laughter," Erik said, gritting his teeth and holding up a hand to shield his face from the heat of the flames. 

Right on cue, there was an insane cackling from behind some trees. Rogue and Erik squinted and were just able to make out Pyro's figure. 

"Can you get him?" Rogue asked. 

"He has to get me first!" Sabretooth roared, leaping over the flames. As he landed he brutally struck Rogue to the ground, before grabbing Erik by the collar. "You know," he hissed into Erik's face. "That trick with the metal bars this morning _really hurt_. I ought to..." 

"You do realise that if you do manage to return me to my former self, the first thing I will do is rip both your arms off," Erik ground out. 

Before Sabretooth could reply, a blast of ruby red light lanced through the flames and hit him in the side, knocking him away from Erik. The flames suddenly parted, and Scott ran through, followed by Jean. 

"Are you guys alright?" Scott shouted. 

"Ah'm fine, just bruised," Rogue called. 

"I am uninjured," Erik added. 

Jean turned and telekinetically dampened the flames. "Let's get out of here," she said. "Before anyone comes along." 

"What are we going to do about these guys?" Rogue asked. "We left them in the alleyway last time, but that was obviously a bad idea." 

"WHAT?" Scott demanded. "You fought these earlier and you didn't say anything?" 

"It was this morning," Rogue protested. "Ah was gonna tell you after school. Or maybe in geography." 

"You just _left_ them there?" Jean asked incredulously. 

"We were late for school," Erik added. "Besides, what do you suggest that we do with them now? Go to the principal and have him call the police for some trespassers?" 

"Um..." 

"My point exactly." 

"How about we dump them somewhere?" Rogue suggested. "Like garbage tip?" 

Jean smiled. "Oh that sounds like an excellent plan." 

Scott sighed. "Jean, sometimes you're just as bad as they are." 

However, he didn't argue with Rogue's idea and even chuckled at the sight of the Acolytes sprawled out on the garbage. 

"This doesn't mean I don't want to talk to you two about this later," he said as they walked back into the main school building. 

Erik raised an eyebrow. "Why so reluctant to discuss it now, Summers?" he asked arrogantly. "Why bother waiting to scold Rogue and I like errant children?" 

"Because it's bad enough that Risty saw them, we don't need anyone _overhearing_ us now!" Scott snapped and stalked away. 

Erik opened his mouth and Rogue pinched his elbow. "Stop that," she said sharply. "Scott's right – about us not yelling about it in the middle of school that is – don't make things any worse." 

"All this hiding and skulking in the shadows is wrong, Rogue." 

She rolled her eyes. "Here we go again. Can't it wait until later? I'll be late for class," she shoved a book in his hands. "And so will you, see you later, bye!" 

Erik glowered after her retreating figure. Why was it that every time he was trying to make a point about the current status of mutants, she managed to find an excellent reason to leave? 

The rest of the day passed without any further incident, although Risty was awfully curious and constantly peppered Rogue with questions about her new "friends". And Wanda sulked because she had missed the fun. Rogue tried to tell her that she really hadn't missed that much but when they said goodbye at the end of the day, Wanda was in a rather huffy mood. 

Consequently the morning's attacks were still high in Rogue's mind, especially the reasons behind them. 

"So, why do they want you back so badly?" Rogue asked Erik as they entered the mansion at the end of the day, having been given a lift back by Risty. 

"Flattering as always Rogue," he said wryly. "Maybe they like me." 

"Do you owe them money or something?" Rogue ignored his earlier comment. 

"I don't think so," he replied. "I do have an idea why, but I'm not a hundred percent sure at the moment." 

"So you're not gonna tell me then." 

"Correct!" Erik grinned. 

"Jerk," Rogue muttered. 

"Rogue! Erik!" Scott came down the stairs towards them. 

"Oh, hi Scott," Rogue sighed. "Ah guess ya want to have that little talk with me and Erik now?" 

"Well, I did, but…" Scott rubbed the back of his neck. "Something's come up…" 

"What has happened now?" Erik inquired. 

"Wolverine was due to report back on his progress around lunchtime and he didn't… so Storm and Beast went to the sewers to see if he needed help and he's vanished!" 

Rogue's eyes widened. "It's not like Wolverine to disappear, not when he's on a mission anyway." 

"Yeah," Scott agreed. "The professor is trying to contact him telepathically, but so far he's had no luck." 

"Are we forming a larger search party?" Erik asked and Scott shrugged. 

"Depends on what the Professor finds… or doesn't find," he said. "You two get some dinner, we'll be having a meeting soon." 

Rogue frowned as Scott walked away. 

"It's all very strange…. How could Wolvie just disappear like that?" 

"Hmmm..." Erik responded. "Do you think the Acolytes got him?" 

There was a pause. 

"You can stop laughing now Rogue!" 

Rogue wiped her eyes. 

"Seriously though," she said. "What do you think happened?" 

"Hmmm, well..." 

Rogue raised an eyebrow. "Well?" 

"Considering the location Wolverine was searching in, I wonder," Erik said slowly, "if this has something to do with the Sentinel project." 

"The what-what project?" 

"Sentinel." Erik pursed his lips. "Giant robots designed to hunt down mutants." 

There was a long pause. 

"YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY MORE KILLER ROBOT THINGS!" Rogue screeched at him. 

"They're not _mine_," he said defensively. "I had nothing to do with them. They're being created by a rogue government organization to hunt down and destroy mutants." 

"Oh, is that all?" Rogue said in a sarcastic tone. "Well, if all they're going to do is hunt down and destroy mutants then WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU MENTION THEM EARLIER??!!!" 

Erik winced. "I had other things on my mind?" 

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'OTHER THINGS'?!" Rogue screamed. "This is IMPORTANT! I can't BELIEVE you!!!" 

"Rogue, please stop shouting at me. I was keeping an eye on their little organization before, all of this," he gestured to himself, "happened. Then it became less of a priority, and anyway, I knew I wouldn't have any problem against their machines." 

"And you know this _how_?" 

"I had Gambit steal the design specs," Erik said calmly. "That's where I got the mutant-tracking program I installed in the Nanny robot." 

"You _stole_ the software?" 

"I had a lot of things to do back then, Rogue," Erik explained patiently. "Minions to recruit, myself to rejuvenate, the X-Men to thwart, a world to overthrow, a people to lead... I was swamped. I didn't think there would be any harm in, er, borrowing..." 

"_Stealing_." 

"... stealing someone else's software. I do have limits you know." Erik considered this. "Not very many, of course," he added. 

Rogue rolled her eyes. 

"But I do have a few. Anyway, I supplemented their code with old software from an original design of Cerebro, and so I think it would be fair to say that _my_ version is superior to theirs in every way," Erik said loftily. 

"But they still _have_ mutant hunting software?" 

"A very crude version, yes." 

"Great, just great," Rogue sighed. "We're gonna have to tell the Professor." 

"Must we?" 

Rogue raised an eyebrow at him. 

He fidgeted uncomfortably. "He'll give me that Look again," he mumbled. 

Rogue sighed in exasperation. "Ah don't blame him! You kept this to yourself when you knew it might come up later! You deserve any number of Looks!" 

Erik sighed. 

"Ah can't believe you're acting like such a baby. Honestly," Rogue sighed. "Ah'll come with you and protect you from the Professor, alright?" 

He spluttered. "I don't need to be protected!" 

** 

Professor Xavier ceased his fruitless mental search for Wolverine and looked up at the knock on his door. 

"Enter." 

As Rogue and Erik filed into the room he suppressed a quick flicker of fear. Everything had been going well so far, there was no need to jump to any rash conclusions. 

Erik sat down in the large leather armchair. Rogue seated herself on the arm of the same chair, and leaned on the back of the seat, propping herself up on one elbow. She smiled at the Professor X like the cat that ate the canary. 

The Professor began to sweat. 

"Charles," Erik steepled his fingers and tried not to notice Rogue's free hand resting possessively on his shoulder. *She's just being friendly and supportive, she's just being friendly and supportive.* 

*She's NEVER friendly and supportive.* 

"Erik." 

"I have some important information which I think we need to discuss." 

*Oh God,* Professor X rallied as best as he could. "And what would that be?" 

"I believe that Wolverine's disappearance could be due to a secret rogue Government project..." 

Charles listened with growing horror as Erik told him all he knew about the Sentinel project. 

"Why didn't you bring this to my attention earlier?" He demanded. 

Erik drew himself up in his chair, preparing to deliver a scathing, arrogant retort. 

Rogue calmly began to play with his hair, stroking it and smoothing it down, then parting it differently. 

"I, uh, I, that is..." Erik stuttered to a halt, blushing fiercely. He shrank down in his chair. "I didn't really think it was a threat. Well, not to _me_ anyway," he said, rather shamefaced. 

"I see," Charles tried to pretend he wasn't seeing what he was seeing. "Arrogance, Erik." 

"I know," Erik sighed, both in admission and in relief as Rogue stopped playing and settled down again. "I'm not used to thinking any other way though." 

"Try," the Professor suggested. 

Erik hesitated slightly, but then inclined his head in agreement. "Yes, Charles." 

The Professor sighed and rubbed at his eyes tiredly. "We'll have to investigate this. Discretely of course, but I'm concerned at this semi-overt anti-mutant activity." 

Erik snorted loudly. 

"_Thank_ you Erik, I'm well aware of your opinions," the Professor said. "If that's all?" *Please let that be all.* 

"That's all." 

"Then I'd better get onto this," Charles said. "If you think of anything else, _please_ tell me." 

"Of course," Erik got out of the chair. "Er, coming Rogue?" 

Rogue, still without speaking, languidly detached herself from the chair and followed Erik out of the room. She paused at the doorway and shot a quick smirk back at Professor Xavier. 

"Oh dear God," the Professor buried his head in his hands. 

** 

"Was all of that absolutely necessary?" Erik asked Rogue plaintively as they walked down the hall. 

Rogue considered this. "Yes." 

"_Why_?" 

She smirked at him. "Ah like to watch you both sweat. My, look at the time. Better get started on mah homework and get something to eat before the meeting. See you later sugah." 

Bestowing a quick kiss upon his nose, she fled down the corridor. 

Erik watched her go, unsure as to whether he should be annoyed, outraged, or embarrassed. He settled for being absurdly happy about her quick peck on the nose, and very, very worried. 

** 

Three hours later, all of the X-Men (and Erik) were dressed in their uniforms and waiting for their briefing from Professor Xavier. Erik was wearing his own costume, which consisted of a black outfit with a blue armoured front. It was in fact, very similar in style to his old Magneto costume, without the helmet or cape. No one had dared to comment on this. 

"So where's the Prof?" Kitty asked. 

"He went out to check in on some sources, and make sure that Juggernaut was still securely in place," Storm said. 

"Why?" Evan asked. 

"I'm sure the Professor will explain when he returns," Beast said. 

At that moment, the door opened and the Professor entered. 

"Good evening X-Men," he said. "I'm sorry to keep you all waiting. I have been making some enquiries, and I believe I know what has happened to Wolverine. It seems he has been captured." 

Everyone reacted with varying degrees of shock – save for Erik and Rogue who just glanced at each other. 

"Captured? Wolverine?" Kurt spluttered. "How?" 

Xavier held up his hands. "Please calm down, this is serious but it will not be helpful if we succumb to panic." 

"Of course, Professor," Scott nodded. 

Erik rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath about 'teacher's pet'. Rogue elbowed him in the stomach and then looked innocent when people turned to see what Erik was wheezing about. 

"Achem," Xavier cleared his throat. "I have received information about a rogue organization that has been developing technology designed to hunt and capture mutants. From what I've learnt leads me to believe that Wolverine was taken by them and this means that we have to take an immediate course of action." 

Erik frowned slightly at that, but remained silent at Xavier continued to speak. 

"Firstly we need to retrieve Wolverine and secondly we need to find out how much they know about us, if necessary shutting down their operations." 

There was a brief silence as they all digested this information, and then Scott spoke up. "How do you know all this, Professor?" 

"I have my sources, Scott," Xavier's tone did not invite further questions. "What is important is finding out what has happened and therefore I have decided on a small, select group as the scouting group. This team will be lead by Storm and will consist of Cyclops, Jean, Shadowcat and Nightcrawler. I will also be going along to assist the operation." 

*** 

"Professor, I need to speak to you," Erik murmured as the rest of the X-Men left the room. Xavier paused and turned to face Erik. 

"Yes?" 

Erik waited until the door had closed and they were alone. "What the hell are you thinking, Charles?" 

Xavier looked coolly at him. "You have a problem, Erik?" 

"Why did you not put me OR Rogue on the team? With our magnetic powers we could…" 

"Be a liability." 

"What?" 

"In this particular situation I think that your… beliefs might interfere with your better judgement," Xavier said smoothly. "After all, isn't this the sort of thing that you always believed would happen?" 

"Then why not send Rogue?" Erik demanded. "Surely you don't question HER loyalty!" 

"Rogue is still new to her magnetic powers and I felt that it was best to include those who have more experience." 

Erik stared at Charles. "That's ridiculous! Rogue also has her absorption powers and could therefore fill in for any of the others in the event they were incapacitated, and she has shown that she has plenty of experience with those!" 

"Erik, my decision has been made!" Charles glared at him. "If you feel that you could do a better job, perhaps you should form your own team!" 

Erik froze. 

"Really Erik, Sabretooth? You know what a dangerous and uncontrolled person he is. And those other two, what were their names again...?" 

"Colossus and Gambit," Erik replied. "And the fire user is Pyro." 

Xavier sighed. "You never change. My decision stands Erik. You will remain here as part of the back-up team." 

And with that, he exited the room. 

** 

End of Part One 


	3. Chapter 2: The Sentinel

Authors' note: From now on the season 3 continuity REALLY goes through some major changes. 

***

Part Two 

*** 

Gambit sniffed at his ruined shirt and grimaced. "Did dey have to throw us on the rubbish pit?" he asked Colossus. "Dat was really uncalled for."

"We failed," Colossus said miserably. "We could not defeat him."

"Of course not, mon ami, this is _Magneto_ we're talking about," Gambit looked ruefully at his shirt and then charged the cloth up. Casually he threw it across the room where it exploded with a loud bang that echoed through the mountain base and scorched the kitchen wall. "Hmmm, never did dat with clothing before"

"Then why did we bother?" the young Russian asked. "Why try to return Magneto when he doesn't want to come?"

Gambit opened his mouth and then shut it abruptly. The truth was he didn't have the answer to that question either. Sure, Magneto's orders before the accident had been very explicit and his threats about what would happen if the Acolytes neglected to follow those orders (even if Magneto was not personally leading the charge) had even more explicit, but None of them, not even Sabretooth, had anticipated their leader _wanting_ to remain with the X-Men in his current state. The Cajun shrugged. "He probably has a plan," he suggested. "Or" Gambit's smile turned wicked. "He wants to pursue that delightful femme"

Colossus looked shocked. "But she's younger than us!"

"So?" Gambit spread his hands. "A woman is a woman, mon ami. And she is pretty despite that make-up. I can understand that he wants to dally a while."

"And what about the plan? Luring the X-Men? Exposing them?"

Gambit threw himself down on a chair and switched on the TV. "If he wants us, he'll call, if not well, we can relax."

"You take life too easy," Colossus frowned, disapproving.

"I agree with him, mate," Pyro wandered into the kitchen and opened the fridge. "Maggie's been bloody rude lately, I don't really feel like trotting out and enacting that stupid trap tonight."

"Besides," added Gambit with a grin. "How're we supposed to get to de place wit'out Magneto transporting us, eh?"

"You have a point there," Colossus admitted.

***

The mansion was quiet after the team had left; even the New Mutants were subdued and attended to their homework with uncharacteristic zeal. Evan complained bitterly about being left behind, but Beast soon found him something to do that made him feel useful and less inclined to moan. And Rogue she searched for Erik who had vanished no long after the others left. She finally found him in the Professor's study, sitting by the window in the dark room looking out at the night sky. 

"Are you okay, Erik?" she asked softly. Irrational fear rose up within her. What if he was regretting his decision to stay? 

He turned and the frown marring his handsome features fell when he saw her. "I'm all right," he said. "Just thinking." 

"About the mission?" 

"Yes, and" he hesitated. "Rogue, does Xavier seem different to you?" 

"Different?" She was puzzled. "How do you mean?" 

"I've known Charles for years," Erik explained. "I worked with him, was his friend and then his enemy, but even though we haven't associated for years I _know_ him and tonight he seemed like a stranger" 

"Maybe he was just stressed," Rogue offered. "Sometimes that can make a person behave weird." 

"Perhaps," Erik mused. "Still, I feel uneasy. If I didn't know better I would assume that someone else was playing Charles' part, but the only person who could pull that off is...." he shook his head. "No, it can't be" 

"You're talking about Mystique aren't ya?" Rogue felt a shiver run down her spine. What if Erik was right? Were her friends walking into a trap of Mystique's making? She swallowed, the bad feeling refused to go away. "Erik, Ah want to Ah think we should follow them." 

He looked sharply at her, eyes narrowed. "Follow? Against Xavier's orders? Are you sure?" 

The door opened then and they turned quickly to face a startled Tabitha Smith. "Oh!" she blinked. "I'm sorry guys, I heard voices and thought I should check it out considering that the room was dark and all" 

"That's ok, Tabby," Rogue attempted a smile. "Erik and Ah were just chatting. How're you? Ya just got back yesterday, right?" 

"Yeah thank God. It was nice staying with Amara and her folks for a while, but having restrain myself all the time argh! But I guess I needed the break, what with Nanny and everything else," Tabitha shrugged. "Trust me to get in a screwy situation like that, maybe I should've stayed with the Brotherhood, even if Mystique was running the show again." 

"What?" Erik crossed the room rapidly to face the younger girl. "What did you say?" 

"That I should've stayed with..." Tabitha's eyes widened. "Didn't you guys know that Mystique was back? She came with Wanda oh shit... I thought you _knew_!" 

"We didn't," Rogue's mouth flattened to a thin line. Wanda knew that Mystique was around and she hadn't said anything anything. Rogue felt a surge of anger well up within against her friend. She looked at Erik. "Maybe your theory isn't so farfetched after all." 

"Let's get McCoy," he said and they bolted from the room leaving Tabitha staring after them. 

*** 

"All I want to know if HOW my socks got in the oven!" Pietro was yelling as Wanda walked downstairs. "It's not like they got up and WALKED there!" 

"I dunno Petey," Lance shrugged. "Considering how often you don't wash your socks I wouldn't be surprised if they had developed intelligent life." 

Pietro shot him a suspicious look. "Your sympathy overwhelms me, Alvers." 

"Yeah, I'm a bleeding heart," Lance yawned. "Can you move outta the way? I can't see the TV." 

"We're talking about my property here! Someone in this house STOLE my socks! I had to walk around sock less ALL day!" Pietro zapped agitatedly around the room.

"Will you just shut up about your socks!" Wanda spoke quietly, but there was a timbre to her tone that promised her brother immediate pain if he didn't heed her. Pietro's mouth closed abruptly and he eyed her warily. 

"None of your morons checked, but Mystique left us a message," she said. "Apparently we have to be somewhere in... hmmm, twenty minutes." 

"Why?" Fred asked through a mouthful of food. 

"I don't know," Wanda said coldly. "She just gave the location and said 'be there'." 

"Well, it beats sitting here listening to Pietro whine about his underwear," said Lance, he stretched and got to his feet. "I'll get the jeep started." 

"If my sweetums is going then I'm going!" Todd smiled sickeningly at Wanda who immediately resolved to make sure Fred was sitting between her and Todd. 

"I don't WHINE!" Pietro yelled. 

** 

Scott threw himself to one side, narrowly avoiding the laser beam firing at his torso, and sort cover while trying to work out if everyone else was all right and figure out where everything had gone horribly wrong. 

The first part of the mission had progressed well enough. The Professor took them to a location on the edge of the city and landed the Blackbird in a warehouse backlot. No one was around and they disembarked without encountering any problems. The Professor kept in contact with Storm via a comlink and directed her to an apparently empty warehouse. Once inside they had to search for an underground entrance, which Kitty stumbled on after ten minutes. With a bit of teamwork they opened the trap door and descended into darkness, the faint smell reaching their noses telling them that they were close to the sewers. For a while they groped around in the dark, not knowing what they were looking for and then they saw the huge doors guarded by soldiers in unfamiliar uniforms. Via the comlink the Professor agreed that this was the place they were looking for and ordered them to 'take down' the guards as quickly and as quietly as possible. This was achieved and then Kitty phased through the doors to see what lay beyond. She returned, her face white, to tell them that there was a huge something fighting Wolverine and he looked like he was struggling. 

So they did what good X-Men did when one of their own was in danger....

They rushed in to help. 

Now they were scattered, desperately fighting a huge robot ­ Wolverine called it a Sentinel - intent on destroying them. This was worse that Nanny, Scott thought, much worse. Nanny was smaller for one thing and had enough of a 'personality' that she could be distracted. Even her clones had been easy to fight compared to this massive thing programmed to kill. Nothing they did seemed to dent it. Even Kitty's phasing powers did little the robot had some sort of self-repairing system that adapted to her powers. It was too big for Jean to lift with telekinesis or for Kurt to teleport a piece of it away. Scott's blasts and Storm's lightening were virtually ineffective and Wolverine's claws only made it pause for a brief moment. For once Scott wished that Erik was with them. The former evil mutant's power would be very useful right now hell, his power and Rogue's new abilities combined would give them a better chance of surviving this! 

"Stop it!" Scott chided himself. He couldn't give up, he was the team leader. Gritting his teeth he got to his feet and moved so that he could see the robot clearly. Ripping his visor off his face he opened his eyes and let his optic blasts go at full blast. 

The force of the beam made the Sentinel stagger, some of its armour even started to melt. It struggled to turn and fire at Scott, but now Storm added some force of her own, helping Scott to push the monster back. 

"Retreat!" She yelled. "Go back into the tunnel!" 

Wolverine grabbed Kurt's arm ­ the elf was dazed from a narrow escape ­ and beckoned to Kitty. "Come on!" he growled, shoving them towards the entrance. 

There was a sudden spay of gunfire and Kitty screamed, automatically phasing her body so that the bullets passed through her. Wolverine dived to the ground, pulling Kurt with him. "Damn!" he swore. "Trask must've posted people to stop us leaving." 

"Who is Trask?" Kurt choked out. 

"The bastard who built that thing. Storm! We're cut off!" he yelled. 

Scott heard Wolverine's words just as he blacked out from power overload. Cut off and trapped by the Sentinel. Could things get any worse? 

*** 

Inside the Blackbird Storm's voice crackled over the com, describing the desperate situation. Charles Xavier's eyes widened and changed colour just as 'his' body rippled and changed to a feminine form. 

Mystique stared down at the comlink and frowned. This was an unexpected turn of events. When she took the form of a bird and listened outside Xavier's study, she assumed that the story about the Sentinel project and the rogue organization had been some lie that Magneto spun to lure Xavier and his X-Men into a trap. The sudden appearance of Sabretooth and Magneto's other lackys had already made her suspicious that some plan of Magneto's was under way - an assumption that she believed confirmed when Erik spoke so bluntly to 'Charles', revelling that his amnesia act was a sham, just as she had guessed. Now it seemed that Erik was telling the truth. 

Well, she still had her back-up team ready and even if they weren't going to be fighting the enemy she expected, well, they could come in useful. 

"Storm," she said in the Professor's voice. "Hold your position! I will send some back-up immediately." 

"We will try, Professor." 

Storm sounded weary, Mystique thought as she exited the Blackbird and hurried around the corner of the warehouse. Her mouth curved into an evil smirk. Truth be told, she wouldn't care much if Storm and some of those other annoying little X-geeks got hurt or killed. However, the smirk vanished, Kurt was in there too 

With a frown she shook away thoughts about her son, now was not the time. 

The Brotherhood was waiting exactly where she told them to be. All looked bored, especially Pietro who seemed very edgy. 

"Finally!" he said when he spotted Mystique. "What's the deal here?" 

"The X-Men have encountered a little difficulty," Mystique smirked. "And you're going to help them." 

"WHAT??" 

There was a confused tangle of questions and indignant exclamations before Wanda's voice broke through, silencing everyone else. 

"What are you up to, Mystique?" 

Mystique opened her mouth to answer when the question was repeated, from above. 

"Yes, Mystique, please enlighten us what are you up to?" 

Erik, Rogue and Spyke floated down to the ground ­ Spyke being carried by Erik's power ­ and glared at the shape shifter. 

Wanda's _expression lightened when she saw Rogue and her lips curved slightly in one of her rare smiles, but it was soon replaced with confusion when Rogue shot her an unfriendly look. 

"What are you doing here?" Mystique demanded. 

"Your game's up, Mystique, you forgot that Tabitha knew you were back and she spilled the beans," Rogue said angrily. "Where's the Professor?" 

Mystique looked innocent. "Xavier? How should I know? He's probably off trying to save some humans from their own stupidity." 

Rogue growled. "Fine then, there's more than one way for me to find out. Hang on to her, Erik." Meaningfully, she began to take off a glove. 

"Hold it right there!" Lance stepped forward. "Noone absorbs our leader!" 

"You want to go instead, Lance?" Rogue bluffed. "One, two, three makes no difference to me! Hell, the more the merrier." 

Mystique tried to back up but was prevented by Erik floating down behind her. "No more games, Mystique," he said, staring at her. 

She glared at him and then slowly smiled. "All right then," she said sweetly. "No more games... In which case, I suggest you release me and run in to the rescue. Your friends are in trouble." 

"She's telling the truth," Wanda said, unsure why Rogue was so angry, but wanting to try and help. "She just told us we had to go rescue them." 

"Then by all means, let's go," Erik said. "_All _of us..." 

** 

In his control room, Boliver Trask smirked as he watched his Sentinel battle the six mutants. This was working out better than he'd even dreamed. Six mutants at once, six! And his Sentinel was still winning. Mentally he moved up the production schedule. Soon the world would be rid of the mutant menace, and he, Trask, would be the saviour of mankind! 

"Um, sir?" 

"What is it?" He snapped. 

"We have more mutant signatures incoming." 

"How many more?" Trask demanded. 

"Umm... nine." 

"WHAT?!" 

** 

Jean grimaced as the Sentinel renewed its barrage of attacks against the telekinetic shield she had raised over herself, Scott and Kurt. Kitty and Wolverine had successfully distracted the Sentinel for a few minutes, but had been knocked aside and now the Sentinel was once again concentrating on Jean. With a cry, Storm flew at the robot, throwing bolts of lightening at its face. It stumbled, swivelled around and shot some green goop at Storm. She tried to swerve out of the way, but the goop enveloped her and hardened. Jean screamed as Storm fell to the ground, frozen in place. 

"STORM!" Kitty ran towards her teacher. 

"Kitty! Look out!" 

Flaps opened all over the Sentinel's torso and missiles blasted towards Kitty. She looked up and screamed, almost too terrified to phase. Then, abruptly, the missiles stopped in mid air. 

"Huh?" Kitty looked around and was confronted by Lance. 

"Don't just stand there, idiot!" He grabbed her arm and dragged her aside. Kitty saw Erik and Rogue standing beyond him, their arms outstretched, eyes fixed on the missiles. 

"Where did you guys come from?" 

"Is this really the time to ask stupid questions?" Wanda snapped. She narrowed her eyes as the Sentinel sent a laser blast straight at her. The beams suddenly swerved and hit the wall. 

** 

In his control room, Trask swore as half of his analysis instruments fried. 

** 

Meanwhile, half the missiles diverted at Erik's control and returned to the sender. The Sentinel staggered, and then fell back as the one's which Rogue had been holding exploded, sending a shock wave through the room. Most of the others were knocked off their feet too. 

"Why didn't you hit that thing with those?" Blob grumbled. 

"It's harder than it looks," Rogue snarled. 

"You really need to practice more," Lance said. 

Kitty punched him in the shoulder. 

"Ow!" 

"Sorry, but she's _my_ teammate. I can insult her, but _you _can't." 

"Thanks Kitty, Ah feel so loved." 

"Um, guys, Jean's unconscious. I think she hit her head when she fell." 

"Gosh, darn," said Rogue. 

Erik shot her a look. 

"Okay, okay Ah'm sorry!" 

"The Sentinel's getting up!" Pietro said. 

The Sentinel began firing at them again and everyone quickly dived out of the way, dragging various injured people with them. 

Erik eyed the huge robot speculatively and then a very large, very smug smirk spread across his face. "You'd think that the person who created this would have bothered to make it out of something that is invulnerable to everyone," he said. 

"Huh?" Rogue dodged a laser beam. 

"It's made of metal." 

A truly evil grin curved Rogue's lips. "Ooooooh...." 

** 

Trask's jaw dropped open as two of the mutants began peeling the Sentinel like a banana. *How could this be?* He thought in terror. *What kind of freaks are these?* 

A sultry voice spoke up behind him. "Hello..." 

Trask turned to see a blue female mutant smile at him, before lashing out with a vicious punch that knocked him flat. 

Smacking him again to make sure he stayed unconscious, Mystique pushed him out of sight, and then morphed into him. Sitting down, she began calmly downloading the Sentinel data, a little smile playing across her face. 

** 

Erik nonchalantly tossed a missile away. Unfortunately it went up, straight up, through the roof. He looked up at the rather large hole and the daylight streaming through. *That's right... we're under that empty lot in the middle of the city...* 

"The middle of the city..." 

All he had to do was redirect his energies to the metallic platform that was beneath the Sentinel's feet and use his power to bring it up to the surface along the Sentinel and the X-Men. The sudden appearance of a fifty-foot robot and a large group with strange powers was bound to attract attention, even if the lot was vacant. The helicopter carrying the local traffic reporter would be in the air right now and would definitely divert to find out what was happening. The world would learn about mutants and Charles Xavier's unrealistic dream would be shattered. 

Determination surged through him. This was his chance! He could still action his original plan. He flew back, out of the fray, and prepared himself, doing his best to ignore the small voice within that objected to this course. *It's for the best, this has to happen*

But just before he started to lift the platform, Rogue flew into his line of sight. She was intent on the Sentinel, her expression fierce, and didn't notice his abstraction. Erik hesitated, staring at her before glancing down and looking at the others - all doggedly fighting. 

Erik experienced a brief flash of foresight. Exposing them now would prove his argument, but the cost would be very high. He saw the X-Men hunted, imprisoned and ostracised by society and, more devastatingly, rejected by their friends. He knew the hurt, the crushing sense of loss they would experience when they realised how much they were hated... just for being different. He knew because long ago the same had happened to him. 

And he realised that he did not want to see Rogue, Kurt or any of them no, not even Scott trapped behind bars, miserable and bitter. 

His resolve died, the moment passing. With little regret Erik abandoned his plan and rejoined the fight, comforting himself that there really was no need to hasten the inevitable.

Rogue was really enjoying the chance to cut loose with her new magnetic powers. 

"The left hand's connected to the left arm!" She sang as pulled the left hand clear off and tossed it aside. "The left arm's connected to... something with lots of hydraulic liquid..." 

Kurt ducked a spray of oil. "Oh no, that stuff's never going to come out of my fur," he moaned. 

"Watch where're you're throwing that stuff!" Lance shouted as he dodged a limb. "And why is she singing?" 

Wanda laughed. "Because it's FUN!" She cracked her knuckles. "Now, what can I do with that leg?" 

"Oh God," Pietro moaned. "There's two of em now!" 

"Quit moaning brother, and do something useful for once," Wanda snapped. She threw a couple of hex bolts at the Sentinel, one of which missed and hit the wall. 

** 

Mystique swore as the rest of the cameras and recording equipment melted. *Time to go,* she thought to herself as she pocketed the data she'd collected. 

** 

With the combined effort of all the mutants, the Sentinel was soon in tiny little pieces. 

"Wow, déjà vu," said Kitty. 

"I think Nanny was tougher," said Erik. *After all, _I_ built her.* 

"Smaller though," said Lance. 

Erik glared at him. "Size isn't everything." 

"That's what all the guys say," Wanda murmured to Rogue. 

"Hm." Rogue shrugged and moved away. Wanda stared after her in surprise and hurt, before narrowing her eyes as the anger kicked in. *What the hell is her problem?* 

"Let's get out of here," Spyke said. "I just want to go home and sleep!" 

"How are we going to get Storm out of this green goop?" the newly recovered Scott asked, leaning heavily against Wolverine. 

"No problem!" Kitty said, phasing into it. 

"Thank you Kitty," Storm said once she was free. "Is everyone alright?" 

"Noone's badly hurt," said Wolverine. "A few bumps and scratches is all." 

"Good," Storm beckoned Kurt over. "If you will teleport me to the X-Jet, Kurt. The Professor and I will get it ready for departure." 

"Yes Ma'am!" Kurt took her hand and they vanished in a puff of smoke. 

"Uh..." Rogue looked at Erik. 

"Funny that Chuck hasn't contacted us yet," Wolverine muttered. 

Erik cleared his throat. "Well, that's probably because..." 

** 

Wolverine erupted out into the open. "MYSTIQUE!" He roared. "Where the hell are you?" 

"Wolverine, how... nice to see you again," Mystique paused and turned around. "I see you're... uninjured." 

"Cut the crap, where's the Professor?" He demanded.

"Oh I'm sure you'll figure it out," Mystique said with a smirk. She turned to leave just as the other mutants emerged. 

"Not so fast! You're not going anywhere until you tell us where the Professor is," Erik said, grabbing Mystique by the arm. "I told you before, no more games." 

"And I agreed with you..." Mystique smiled triumphantly. "Magneto!" 

Erik's gaze faltered and his grip loosened. 

BAMF! "Hey guys, the Professor's disappeared! Guys?" 

Mystique tugged her arm free and smirked at him. "What's the matter Erik? Still trying to pretend that you don't know who you really are?" 

Scott looked at Rogue. "What's she talking about?" 

Rogue bit her lip. 

"Oh, how precious, you haven't even told the X-Men," Mystique said mockingly. "Surely you know that Erik is the former self-proclaimed Master of Magnetism." 

"We all know that," Wanda said pointedly. "But he doesn't remember it any more. He's changed. Right?" 

She turned to look at Rogue, who wouldn't meet her gaze. "Right?" 

"Oh, but he does," Mystique felt a wave of triumph wash through her. At last she would beat him. "Why don't you tell your dear children and your precious 'teammates' the truth? That you've regained your memories!" 

"What? No way!" Spyke looked shocked. "You've been spying on us man?" 

"It's not like that," Erik protested, turning to face his teammate. 

Wolverine narrowed his eyes. He didn't feel so betrayed. After all, Xavier would have known that Erik had his memories back. He noticed Mystique backing away, grinning at the chaos. Swiftly he turned and grabbed her. "Not so fast," he muttered. "I still have a few questions for you." 

She glared at him. 

Wolverine smirked and activated his communicator. "Ororo, we know what happened to Chuck..." 

Meanwhile a nasty scene was developing. 

"Oh my God, you mean it's TRUE?" Kitty shrieked. "I don't believe this!" 

"WHAT?!" Wanda screeched. "You mean it's really him!" 

Jean looked at Rogue. "This is terrible!" 

Rogue looked away. 

"Rogue?"

Jean stretched out a hand, but Rogue ignored it and walked past her to stand by Erik. 

Wanda watched as she took his hand in hers and squeezed it. Erik shot her a grateful glance in return. 

"You _knew_," she said, pain and anger filling her eyes. "You knew all along and you never told me!" 

"That's right," Rogue said. "Because he's changed. He's really changed Wanda." 

"HE'LL NEVER CHANGE!" Wanda shrieked. Eyes blazing, she turned on Erik. 

"I'll KILL you!!" 

Erik stared at the furious Scarlet Witch. 

"Wanda, please wait," he held out his hands. "I really am sorry for everything I did to you." 

"LIAR!" She screamed. She advanced on his, hands outstretched to grasp and tear at him. 

Rogue stepped into her path. "Stop it Wanda!" 

"Get out of my way traitor," Wanda glared at her. 

"Isn't that my line?" Rogue demanded as her temper boiled over. "Why didn't you tell me that Mystique was back?" 

"It was none of your business!" Wanda snapped. "And you, I thought you were my friend, but you sided with HIM! You have no idea what he did to me!" 

"Ah have a VERY good idea of what he did to you!" Rogue shouted. "Ah've got BOTH your memories, remember?" 

"It's not the same!" Wanda shrieked. "You'll NEVER understand!" 

"You..." 

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" 

Hex bolts blasted Rogue away. 

"Sweetums, please stop this, you're scaring me," Toad implored from behind Blob. 

"Wanda! That's enough!" Erik seemed to grow taller as he straightened up and loomed over her. "This behaviour is unacceptable!" 

"Oh crap," said Pietro. "It's true. It's really him!" He paused. "Oh... now I know what the Rogue thing is... GROSS!" 

Erik ignored his son's outburst, focusing on Wanda. 

"Calm down," he ordered. "Think before you act Wanda. I don't want to hurt you, not anymore. You're my daughter." 

"Okay, now this is just wrong," Spyke said to Kurt. 

"You're telling me? He's only a year older than her now! But I'm not saying anything about it. I just want to get out of here. Now."

"Me too," said the Blob, who hadn't really understood much of what was going on, except that he didn't want to get involved. 

"Then go," Rogue grated, stumbling past them, her eyes dark with rage. "Ya can't help anyway." 

Kurt caught her arm. "How long did you know?" 

"A while," she said shortly. "Look, Ah know Ah should've said something, but we talked to the Prof and it seemed best not to... ya know it would've made things awkward." 

"That's true," Kurt agreed. "But Rogue... I don't think you should get involved in this now. Isn't it his fight?" 

"But..." she bit her lip, looking at Erik and Wanda. 

"Daughter by blood only," Wanda choked. Her hands wavered and lowered a little. "You never cared about me." 

Erik sighed. "I do now," he said softly. 

Everyone strained to hear his words, except for Wolverine who simply smiled slightly and tightened his grip on Mystique. "Well, well," he said. "Looks like he's getting her to calm down." 

"I hope so," Kitty bit her fingernails. "She's freaking me out!" 

"She has every reason to be angry," Scott growled. 

"Scott," Jean laid a hand on his arm. "Not now." 

Erik faced Wanda, mind racing as he tried to think of the words that would calm her down and make her stop. Nothing was coming to mind however, and he realised that the only way out of this was the truth. She deserved that much. 

"It's true," he acknowledged. "I was a terrible father. I used you and threw you aside when you were no longer of any use to me. Worse than that, I imprisoned you. I was never there for you when you needed me, either of you." He threw a quick look to Pietro. "I'm sorry I ignored you son." 

"Uhh..." Pietro looked surprised. "Are we really sure he's my father?" 

Erik winced and turned back to Wanda. "Nothing I can say or do can make up for the past." 

"No, it can't," said Wanda. "But... perhaps I won't kill you today. I know you'll show your true colours eventually. It's just a matter of time. And then you'll get what's coming to you." 

She turned her back on him and stalked away. Toad ran after her. "Sweetums! Wait up!" 

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She gestured and the ground beneath his feet rippled, tripping him up. 

"So I guess we're going home separately then," Lance said in the uncomfortable silence that followed. "All of us." He looked at Wolverine. "Including Mystique." 

Blob turned to look at Wolverine too. Pietro was still in a daze. 

"Not until we get some answers out of her," Wolverine replied. He touched his communicator. "You been listening, 'Ro?" 

"Yes," Storm's voice crackled over the link. "But I'm afraid there is another problem. Beast just contacted me. Juggernaut is loose!" 

Wolverine narrowed his eyes at Mystique. "Juggernaut, huh? Didn't you play this little game out once before, Misty? Getting stale in your old age?" 

"Mind your own business!" she twisted in his grip, her form blurring with such speed that he couldn't maintain a firm grip. Wolverine snarled and slashed at the small bird that fluttered beyond his reach and into the sky. 

"Well, you know where your Prof is," Lance shrugged. "We're done here." 

Kitty rounded on him. "You can't just leave!" she cried. "Lance! You KNOW what Juggernaut is like!" 

"Let him go," Scott sneered. "If Alvers doesn't want to help let him scurry home." 

Lance jabbed a finger at him. "I'll deal with you later, Summers!" he stalked away, dragging Pietro along with him, Blob and Toad falling in behind. 

"SCOTT!" Kitty yelled. "What was all THAT about?" 

Jean shot Scott an irritated look. "Taking your anger out on other people isn't very mature Scott." 

He flushed, already regretting his hasty words. Then his chin went up. "You're right, Jean. I should be angry with the person whose fault it really is... MAGNETO!" 

Erik turned and glared at him. "Summers, I may be accountable to Wanda and Pietro, but I do not have to answer to YOU!" 

Scott's hand flew up to his visor. "Why you..." 

"QUIT IT!" Wolverine grabbed Scott's shoulder and pulled him back. "You can sort out your little differences later, bub. Right now there are more important things." 

"Yes... you're right," Scott glared once more at Erik and then turned away, heading for the X-Jet. Everyone exchanged significant glances and followed. 

"I can't believe that you liked that... jerk," Erik muttered to Rogue, falling into step beside her. 

"And your character is just SO much better," she snapped, averting her face. 

Erik hesitated and then placed a hand on her shoulder. "Wanda will come around. It wasn't your fault and she'll understand that... after a little time to herself." 

"Yes, after all she's such a _forgiving_ person," Rogue said quietly as they entered the X-Jet. 

** 

End of part two  



	4. Chapter Three: Cold War

Part Three: Cold War

Authors note: To those who have asked, we don't do email updates. Sorry, but it would take too much time. However, we do have a mailing list now for updates, so if you want to know when we do, this is the place to go: Jaelle & Orla's Fanfiction 

**

"Ow, ow, ow, I think I have bruises on my bruises," Evan moaned loudly as he and Kurt entered his room.

"Yes, but it was all in a good cause," Kurt replied. "We defeated the Juggernaut, we rescued the Professor, and we all came back safe and sound."

"What do you mean _we_?" Evan flopped down on his bed. "WE got kicked around! ROGUE lays one little pinkie on Juggernaut and the next thing you know she's smacking him about like she's King Kong!"

"Now that's an exaggeration! Cyclops _nearly_ had him when he took off his visor and we held up pretty good. And she put her whole hand on him for quite a while too!" Kurt said. "I was getting worried that she was going to wind up keeping all of HIS powers too!"

They both shuddered at the mental image that produced.

"Hey you guys, the bathroom's free!" Kitty popped her head around the door.

"Is there any hot water left?" Evan sat up and looked hopeful.

"Um, maybe."

"Aw man..." Evan flopped back down. "I might not bother."

"Like, ewww" Kitty wrinkled her nose. "Go to sleep with all the sweat and muck on you? Just, ew."

Kurt snickered.

"So guys, what do you think Storm and the others are gonna do about Erik?" Kitty asked changing the subject so quickly that the boys stared at her, blinking.

"Uh"

"They're talking about it with the Professor now I bet. You know, should we even be _calling_ him Erik now? Or Magneto? And if so, is he gonna stay or are they gonna throw him out? I mean, like, what's his plan? Why didn't he say anything?"

"Whoa, whoa!" Kurt threw up his hands. "Slow down, Kitty!"

"She's got a point though," Evan rolled over onto his stomach. "How do we know the guy isn't going to splat us?"

"He helped us out with Juggernaut," said Kurt mildly. "And the Sentinel AND Nanny"

"Which he built originally."

"Yeah, but he could've let Nanny capture us."

"And he is fighting those Aco-whatsits Sabretooth and the others" Kitty chewed a fingernail thoughtfully. "Maybe he HAS changed, like Rogue said."

"Or he could just be waiting until we don't think he's a threat and bam!" Evan smacked his fist into his palm. "Take us down."

"That's paranoia talking," said Kurt, yawning. "I think we should give him a chance if it hadn't be for him tonight we'd have had a tougher time taking down that Sentinel AND our faces would be splashed all over the TV. We got on all right with him before we knew he had his memories back, why should that change?"

"I still think you're taking this way too easy, man," Evan looked at Kitty. "What do the New Mutants think?"

She shrugged. "They don't really care, I mean, they never met him when he was old and nasty, you know. They're cracking up about him really being ancient."

"Well, there you go," Kurt stretched. "I don't think we should panic. Besides, if the Professor knew already then I bet he was keeping an eye on him."

"Huh, yeah I guess," Evan agreed. "I bet Aunty O and the others are going to tell the Prof off for not letting THEM know though!"

**

"Are you sure you're all right, Charles?" Storm asked.

"Fine thank you," Charles replied. "One doesn't feel anything in the stasis tank. That's how it was designed. It... was interesting to know how it worked."

"I'm sure there were easier ways to find that out," Beast replied.

The three teachers and Xavier were seated in his study, going over the events of the day.

"I'm only sorry I couldn't find you earlier," Beast continued. "However, when I learnt of the Juggernaut, I did wonder."

"Don't worry about it, Hank, somebody had to stay here and look after the kids," Wolverine said. "I'm just sorry that Mystique managed to get away... again."

"Yes, and from the sounds of it, her powers have become even more advanced," Xavier said. "I blame myself for not picking up her mind before she knocked me out."

"I was wondering how she'd got the drop on you," Wolverine admitted.   
  
"She's a smart woman, she must have overheard my conversation with Erik and Rogue and decided to take advantage of the situation. Although I confess I am not a hundred percent sure of why she chose this particular time and decided to send a team against the Sentinel."

"Huh," Wolverine snorted, "That woman's got plots within plots going on. But speaking of Erik..."

"Yes, I apologise for keeping you all in the dark regarding his memories, but I felt it was best considering the situation."

"Are you sure we can trust him, Charles?" Storm leaned forward. "I find it hard to believe that he has changed so much in such a short time."

"But shoot not at me in your wakened hate; Since my appeal says I did strive to prove; The constancy and virtue of your love," Beast smiled. "Shakespeare, Sonnet 117."

"Right," said Wolverine, after a long pause. "And that's another thing that's bothering me."

"I think it's bothering everyone somewhat," Charles admitted. "Including Erik, and excepting Rogue. But there is not a lot I can do. It would be wrong to try and alter their feelings. The more we oppose it, the more we will drive them together, and for now, Rogue is a good influence on Erik. It is for her sake that he stays and helps and I hope that in time he will come to do so not because of her, but for his own sake."

"I dunno, Charles," Wolverine said. "Women who set out to change bad boys often wind up disappointed."

"But she's not trying to change him," Beast countered. "She accepts him for who he is, and I think that's part of her appeal."

"Don't go there, Beast. She's still only seventeen, and he's what? Over sixty?"

"The mental and actual age gap is formidable, I will admit," Charles acknowledged. "But while he is here, he is under our gaze, and we can make sure that nothing adverse happens."

"Well at least she still shares a room with Kitty," Wolverine grumbled. "Maybe we should put him in a room with one of the other boys as well." He grinned. "Like Scott."

"Do you WANT the house destroyed Logan?" Storm asked. "Because if so, you may as well put Rogue in Jean's room as well."

Charles frowned. "Yes, the tensions between the four are rising significantly. We shall have to keep an eye on that."

"So, I suppose what you're saying is that we just leave things as they are," Wolverine grumbled. "So what about Trask and his Sentinel?"

"Well, the base was effectively destroyed, and most of the data seems to have vanished, possibly deleted," Storm said thoughtfully. "So I do not believe he will be an immediate threat."

"People like him don't stop," Wolverine said bluntly.

"Then we will be ready for him next time," Charles said.

**

Rogue hesitated outside the rec room. She had gone straight to her room after they had returned from the fight with Juggernaut. She didn't want to be around people just then, not while Cain Marko's rage roared through her head. So she lay on her bed, eyes closed, trying to exorcise the images from her head and waiting for the voices to stop.

*But they never really stop...* She put a hand on her forehead. She gripped the door handle tightly and then eased up when she felt the metal give beneath her fingers. Oops. Better be careful. Clearly some of Juggernaut's strength was still within her. She opened the door, letting her expression fall back into its customary mask.

Scott looked up from his book. "Rogue... uh, hi."

She froze. Great, just great. "Hello Scott," she didn't know what to do. She was still angry for the way he had snapped at Erik, but at the same time this was _Scott_, the guy who had always been nice to her. Her friend, teammate and once, her crush.

"Where's Magneto?"

She stiffened. "Ah believe _Erik_ is taking a shower. Why? Did ya have something to say to him?"

Scott's cheeks flushed slightly. "No, not really, but..." he hesitated and got to his feet. "Rogue, why didn't you say anything? We've all been on tiptoes, trying not to do anything to bring back his memory and he was laughing at us!"

"He was not!" Rogue snapped. "He was sad, because it reminded him of what he'd been. Who he'd been."

"Are you sure he's so different now?" Scott asked carefully.

"Yes, Ah swear," Rogue said earnestly. "He's willing to try now... Ah don't think he's totally convinced that the Prof's ideal is right, but he's prepared to give it a chance and he WON'T betray us," a small smile curved her mouth. "If he does AH'LL be the one tearing him to pieces."

Scott had to laugh at that. "I believe you!" he came over and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Rogue, I... we only get upset because we care, okay? None of us want you to get hurt."

Rogue's cheeks went pink. "Thanks Scott, Ah appreciate it but Ah... Ah'm pretty good at looking after myself."

"Of course," he agreed. "But you know... it's what we do, look out for each other."

"Y'mean you'd even watch out for Erik?" Rogue asked slyly.

"Hm... maybe," Scott said grudgingly.

Rogue smiled. "Thanks, Scott, Ah knew Ah could count on you."

"Of course you can, I care about you Rogue," Scott reached out and gently hugged Rogue.

For once, Rogue put aside her fears about contact and wrapped her arms around him, hugging back, relishing his warmth and support.

Behind them, the door opened.

As they broke their embrace, they turned to see Jean Grey staring at them both. The light fell on her face, enhancing the colour of her eyes so that they almost seemed to glow bright green.

"Jean!" Scott was surprised, and stepped back hurriedly from Rogue in embarrassment. "We were just talking about Erik."

"Oh, I see," Jean said frostily. "Well don't let _me_ interrupt you!" She turned on her heel and walked away.

"Okay," said Rogue. "That was interesting."

"Oh no," muttered Scott. *Sheesh, and she calls ME irrational.*

**

Jean walked hastily down the corridor, fuming. How many guys did Rogue really need wrapped round her finger? It's not like she could DO anything with any of them. And Scott, how could he be so forgiving all of a sudden?

Wait... could it be that the reason that Scott had been so irrational about Erik earlier be because he was interested in Rogue? Had he been _jealous_?!

Jean shook her head. This was stupid, she was getting all worked up over nothing. Scott was simply being friendly and supportive in the way that Scott was. After all, he was the team leader, it was best for him to make sure that everyone was happy. Right?

Right?

**

Lance softly made his way towards his goal, occasionally glancing over his shoulder at Fred who was camped out on the couch, eyes glued to the TV. He tilted his head, listening for the others. The muffled crashes coming from Pietro's room indicated that he was occupied and Todd hadn't made an appearance yet, so it was safe to assume that he was still on the porch waiting for Wanda.

Quickly, Lance snatched the phone and scarpered upstairs, making sure to unroll the cord to its full capacity. Once inside his room with the door safely closed he smirked. Success! Leaning against the door he picked up the receiver and dialled nervously. He didn't know that it was a good idea to call Kitty right now, but he was SURE it would be a bad idea to let her stew for too long.

The phone rang once twice and he began to worry that Rogue was going to pick up. Then

"Hello?"

"Hey, Kitty, it's me, Lance!"

There was a chilly pause on the other end of the line.

"Oh you."

Lance winced. 'You' sounded synonymous with 'scum'. "Um, yeah, so I guess you got back okay and all, right?"

"Yes, no thanks to you," Kitty made a rude noise. "Look Lance, I don't know if I want to talk to you right now, so"

"Wait! WAIT!" Lance yelled down the phone. "Kitty, I wanted to say to say that"

"That?"

"I'm sorry."

There was another pause, but this one wasn't so chilly.

"But what could I do?" Lance continued. "Wanda walked off and no way was she gonna work with you-know-who, Pietro was out of it, Todd was chasing Wanda it would've just been me and Fred. And y'know, my powers on a dam might not have had great results!"

"Yeah, I hey!" Kitty's voice was sharp. "How did you know we were on a dam?"

"It was on the TV News. Don't worry," Lance said quickly as Kitty whimpered. "There weren't any pictures of you or nothing. They were just saying that some weird stuff had happened on this dam, and I figured from what I could make out that it was you guys. Strange they didn't get any pictures or that no one saw you guys."

"That's because Jean fogged people's minds if they got too close to see and Erik was scrambling the cameras," relief flooded through Kitty's voice. "Geez you, like, totally freaked me out. I thought he'd missed one!"

"So speaking of _Erik_ I guess he's still at the Institute?"

"Yeah," Kitty sighed. "He is. It's totally weird. The Professor knew that he had his memories but didn't even tell Storm or Wolverine. And Rogue knew and wasn't saying either."

"So he's gonna stay?"

"I don't know, I guess so. It would be pretty dumb to chuck out _Magneto_ if he wanted to stay. Not that I get why he does when he doesn't agree with the Professor. Unless it's because of Rogue."

"Uh," Lance didn't know what to say to this.

"So has Wanda calmed down much?" Kitty asked.

Lance thankfully snatched at the change of subject. "She hasn't come back yet. We kinda talked about going after her, but well, we figured she wanted to be alone."

"Yeah, _I_ wouldn't want to get in her way when she's in such a bad mood."

SLAM!

Lance jumped. "However, I think she might just have come back."

Footsteps clumped up the stairs, the sound radiating anger. Todd's voice floated up to Lance's ears. "Welcome home, sweet cheeks!"

"At least he's not stupid enough to try and follow her to her room," Lance muttered.

"Huh?"

"Nothing, just thinking out loud," Wanda's bedroom door slammed and the lights flickered. Lance let out the breath he hadn't realised he was holding. "Phew. Looks like she's not going to pull the house down around our ears at least."

"She must be, like, so mad. About Erik and Rogue not telling her," Kitty breathed. "I wonder what he DID to her exactly that made her so angry?"

"No idea," Lance answered. "Pietro ain't telling. And I don't think he's gonna say a word for a while. He was pretty shocked you know."

"Yeah, I bet."

"Yeah, I"

"AAAAARRRRRGGGHHH!!!"

The scream was loud enough to make Lance's ears ring and Kitty exclaim over the phone. "What was THAT?"

Lance peered round the door and spotted Pietro zooming up the stairs holding something small and pink?

"My socks! My socks!" he howled. "They're PINK! I have PINK socks!"

Lance managed to shut the door before he started laughing. It took a couple of minutes before he could calm down enough to tell Kitty what happened.

"Like, how?" she asked once she'd regained her breath.

"Dunno, maybe they got mixed up with Wanda's stuff. She wears a lot of red."

Kitty giggled. "I can't believe that he was actually doing _laundry_. He must REALLY be upset about his dad!"

Lance's spirits soared. She'd obviously forgiven him. "Hey, I better go and calm Speedy down," he said. "I'll see you at school, okay?"

"Okay! Bye Lance!" she hung up and he grinned like a loon before wiping the grin away and getting up to replace the phone.

All in all, life was pretty good Magneto or no Magneto.

**

Erik squeezed the water out of his hair and then slicked it back. In the steamy bathroom he dried himself quickly, keeping his mind deliberately blank. Only when he stood in front of the mirror, now cleared of steam that he actually let his thoughts wander.

Tonight had not turned out exactly as he had planned so many months ago. Well, that was to be expected. He had abandoned many schemes after the accident that de-aged him. True, he should've done something about the Acolytes sooner, but to be fair he hadn't really remembered them until recently nor had he expected them to show up so soon. However, he still found himself surprised that he was becoming so actively involved with the X-Men, even to the point of sabotaging his own plans.

He rubbed his eyes. Now there was a new problem to face. They knew, all of them, X-Men and the Brotherhood knew that he had regained his memories. Wanda's reaction was not a surprise. Would the others react in a similar fashion after they had recovered from the shock? Erik smiled ruefully at his reflection.

"Now I'm worried that I might be asked to leave?" he shook his head. "I must have hit my head at some point. Caring about such a thing"

//There's no shame in admitting that you enjoy our company, Erik.//

Erik rolled his eyes and sighed. //Can't I have a private thought without you psycho-analysing it, Charles?//

//My apologies, Erik,// Xavier didn't sound the least bit sorry. //But I wanted to speak to you.//

//Ah, I expected this do I pack my bags then?//

//No, you get to stay.//

//How magnanimous of you.// Erik 'said' sarcastically. A thought occurred to him. //Charles, if they know that I have my memories then//

//No, Erik, you still have to attend school.//

"Damn."

**

The population of Bayville High School was unnaturally subdued on Monday afternoon. Whispers flew everywhere in the corridors, except for the two moving zones of silence which marked the positions of Rogue and Wanda.

"Man," one boy muttered to his friend after Wanda had stalked by, radiating anger, "and I used to think that nothing could be more scary than those two being friends."

"Yeah, it turns out their NOT being friends is MUCH scarier," the other boy moaned.

*You want scary? Try being stuck in the middle of it,* Erik thought as he went past. As if Rogue's bad mood wasn't bad enough, the death glares Wanda was giving him every time he got within sight was seriously, what was the phrase Kurt had used? Oh yes, 'freaking him out, man'. And Risty's constant smirks on top of it all were in danger of becoming the straw that broke his back. If it weren't for the small amusement he gained every time Pietro went green upon seeing him and Rogue together, he'd have gone home shortly after first period. As it was, he was taking a certain comfort in knowing that there was at least one person more uncomfortable with the whole thing than he was.  
  
*Oh well,* he thought, *at least this can't go on for very long, right? It's only day one, I'm sure they'll get over it soon.*

By the end of the week, it was frostier than ever. Not helped by Jean 'delicately' suggesting to Rogue that she should try and make up with Wanda.

"WHO THE HELL ASKED FOR YOUR OPINION?!!!"

And Wanda was denying all knowledge of any friendship.

"Rogue? I know no one by that name. Sounds like a skanky Southern skunk kind of name to me."

By the middle of the second week, Erik was giving serious thought to moving back to his headquarters in the snowy-covered mountains in the hopes that it would be warmer there.

*Still,* he thought as he settled down in front of the television that evening, *At least some of the other X-Men are becoming more comfortable around me, since I haven't tried to kill anyone or use them in a Master Plot yet.*

*And, since they're still just a _little_ nervous, no one comes to bother me.*

*Which means I have complete control of the remote.*

"THERE you are," Rogue said in exasperation, as she marched into the living room. "What are you doing?"

"I'm watching a documentary on the Discovery Channel," he responded nervously. In truth, he'd been avoiding Rogue as much as he could without her noticing over the past few days. He still felt responsible for the whole situation with Wanda and Rogue's mood had been rather abrupt lately.

"Oh, what's it about?"

"Uh, the Crusades."

"Score!" Rogue threw herself onto the sofa next to him. "Ah'm about to cover them in World History. This way Ah can look good in front of crabby Mr Simpson." She snuggled up against him.

Erik stiffened.

"Don't get like that, Ah KNOW you like me," Rogue informed him. "And I know that you're keeping that magnetic shield of yours up all the time, so we're safe."

"Yes, but..."  
  
"And don't think you can put me off on accounta your age. You may still have your memories but you ACT like a boy of 18."

"Thanks." The sarcasm packed into that one word was so heavy that Rogue was amazed it didn't crash through the floor and into the basement.

"So what's the problem?" She asked, resting her head against his shoulder.

"Rogue," Erik groped for words. "In my day... women just didn't BEHAVE like this. They were, er, more, uh..."

"Yeeessss...?"

"Uhm, reserved."

Rogue elbowed him lightly in the ribs. "Get over it," she told him, swinging up her legs so that they rested on the sofa and she could lean comfortably against his body.

"Rogue..."

"Shhh! I'm trying to watch this!"

"Rogue..." It was time to make an effort. He had to try and mend the breach. "I really think you need to talk to Wanda."

The change in air temperature was astonishing. He wondered if she'd absorbed Bobby lately.

"Oh you do, do you?"

"Yes," he plunged on. "I don't want to be the ruin of your friendship."

"It's not YOU, it's HER!" Rogue emphasised. "YOU can't help it if she's a stuck-up, obsessed, psycho revenge-seeking cow from hell."

"She _is_ my daughter."

"Yeah well, you know what they say. You can choose your friends, you can choose your enemies, but you're stuck with your family. Ah mean, Pietro's your son."

Erik paused. "Point. But still, don't you think it's time that you at least tried. I mean, you were _both_ keeping secrets from each other..."

"Oh, so now it's MY fault?!"

"No! No! It's just that, if you want to blame someone, blame..." he thought about it briefly. "Mystique! Blame Mystique! If she hadn't come back none of this would have happened."

Rogue gave him a look.

"Okay so it's my fault too, I know that! Why don't you go and tell Wanda that? I'm sure the two of you can have fun ripping me apart. You always have done before."

"Ah'm sure Ah don't know what you're talking about," Rogue said huffily. "And Ah'll thank you to keep your long aristocratic nose out of my business!" She flounced off angrily.

Erik sighed and got a blank tape out of the cabinet, deciding to leave the taped documentary on her desk. He touched his nose with a small smile, "Aristocratic hmmm?"

**

As the days rolled on the atmosphere at school grew no better. Wanda was still furious with Rogue and Erik. Rogue was still angry with Wanda, and huffy towards Erik - who was once more seriously considering chucking it all in and going back to being a super villain.

On one particular day, he actually started walking towards Charles' office to say that he was quitting.

It was the day Kitty got her learners permit.

"Erik! Hey Erik! Wait up!"

Erik paused and his fists clenched. *I have faced the worst humanity can throw at me,* he reminded himself. *I have seen wars, disasters, atrocities, the deaths of all those I loved, surely I can handle this?*

"Kitty," he said firmly. "I have already told you that I am NOT available to supervise your driving."

"But you're over 18 now!" Kitty looked at him with big pleading eyes. "And you know how to drive! Pietro told Lance that you used to drive a huge, big Mercedes or something."

Erik made a mental note to lock Pietro in a dumpster sometime. "Yes, but I don't have a licence now Kitty," he said calmly. "Well I do, but it kind of says I'm slightly older than I look. Besides, I don't have it on me."

"But the Professor could set you up with one..."

"Kitty, I'm surprised at you!" Erik said in shock. "Are you suggesting that Professor Charles Xavier should hack into the DMV records just to get a licence for me?"

"Oh, I guess I hadn't thought of that," Kitty's shoulders slumped and she walked away.

*Phew. Now as long as she doesn't mention this to Charles I should be safe.*

He sighed in mixed relief and irritation as Kitty hurried off to try and find Jean and Scott, who were in hiding, as they had been ever since the news had been broken. It wasn't that he objected to Kitty pestering _them_, it was that watching Scott and Jean huddle together for safety in strange places such as the broom closet was making Rogue more irritable than ever.

"I thought you were over him."

"Ah am."

"Then why are you annoyed?"

"Ah'm not!"

"Yes you are!"

"Well Ah am NOW!"

"Argh! I can't win!"

"Nope."

As Erik stomped away in exasperation he realised that every time he tried to talk about a topic that had nothing to do with his relationship with Rogue, he got in to trouble. The one thing _he_ didn't want to talk about, was the _only_ thing that she wanted to hear.

And so events progressed frostily. Fortunately there were other distractions. On that Tuesday Kurt finally received the invitation to meet the parents of Amanda Sefton (the love of his life) on Thursday night. Kurt was nervous because a) he was meeting her parents, and b) his image inducer was acting up a bit. He wasn't quite prepared for Amanda's parents to meet the blue fuzzy version of himself.

"I don't see what the problem is," Erik said to Rogue at the dinner table on Thursday, after Kurt had left. "Yes, mutants are still in hiding, but if he truly loves this girl, and she loves him, then she should accept him no matter what he looks like. Why should mutants hide who they really are? Being a mutant is nothing to be ashamed of, we are a natural step in evolution, the next step! Homo mutatis, no! Homo superior!"

Everyone looked at each other nervously.

"Why should we skulk in fear of being discovered?" Erik banged his fist on the table, warming up to his topic. "We should be proud of who we are, and what we can do. Mutant powers are not a curse, they are a gift!"

"Speak for yourself," muttered Rogue.

"Humans may hate us and fear us," Erik carried on, not having caught her comment. "But it is only because they fear what they do not understand, and they fear their own inferiority. We are the future, not them! If this girl truly loved Kurt, she should embrace his true nature, fur and all."

"She does," Rogue interrupted.

"What?" Erik asked blankly.

"I said she does," Rogue said louder. "She knew about the fur and everything before she asked him out. She wanted him to come over as he really was, but he was too nervous."

"Oh," said Erik blankly. "Uh, I wish you'd told me that _before_ I started airing my opinions."

"Oh but it was so fascinating," Bobby said with a wicked grin. "That whole thing about how superior we all are."

"And loving people for who they truly are," Kitty added. "I mean that really gives me hope for me and Lance."

Scott choked on his drink.

Erik went red, muttered something, and concentrated fiercely on his food for the rest of the meal.

As they all rose, Xavier shot him a look.

"Erik, could I have a word with you?"

"Ooooohhhh... someone's in trouble!" sang Rahne and Jubilee.

"Shut up," he shot them the fiercest glare he could manage, and they dissolved into giggles.

Rogue patted him on the shoulder. "It's pretty hard to be intimidating when you're 18 and have spot on your chin."

Erik's hand went to his chin, "I do not!"

"Made you look," she taunted, and ran off.

"ARGH! What did I do to deserve this?"

"Do you have to ask?" Scott inquired as he walked past.

Sighing, Erik followed Professor Xavier up to his office.

"Yes Charles?" He said as he sank into a chair, trying to quell the feeling of being a naughty little schoolboy about to be scolded by his teacher.

"This is not about your dinner conversation," Xavier said, trying to put him at ease, "Although that was... interesting."

Erik winced.

"I haven't had a chance to talk to you properly about the events of the last few weeks." The Professor smiled. "First I'd like to thank you for all the help you rendered, and in particular the way you worked out that something was wrong when Mystique was masquerading as me."

"Well, I have known you for some years now," Erik said, "It wasn't that hard."

"Also I'd like to say that I was impressed with the way you handled the cameras and scrambled the reception during the fight with Juggernaut. I was encouraged by that, it seems that you are taking a step towards..."

"Don't get your hopes up Charles," Erik interrupted. "I just decided that humans weren't yet ready for us. It was in the X-Men's best interest that they remain anonymous."

"The X-Men's?" Xavier's eyebrow rose. "Or Rogue's?"

Erik's expression went very wooden. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Erik, just as you know me, I know _you_," Xavier said. "And it is fairly obvious that your feelings for Rogue have become stronger over the last couple of weeks, and so have hers for you."

"Really?" Erik briefly brightened, before hastily assuming a blank look. "Uh, I mean, I still don't understand."

"The two of you are falling in love," Xavier said bluntly.

"Ah. Oh. That."

"Yes, that. Now, while I would normally support a relationship between two people who find each other mutually attractive on a mental and physical level, there is still the problem that you are technically..."

"Too old for her," Erik finished, "Yes, we've had this conversation before."

"Then you understand my reservations?"

"Not really. Rogue knows what she wants, and she's very determined." Erik thought about some recent events. "VERY determined," he added. "Yes, she is still young, and I'm aware that her feelings may change, but I respect her too much to treat her like a child with a crush. She's been through a lot, and she's not the infant you think she is. Besides, it's not often I encounter someone who is not afraid to stand up to me, and who is prepared to give me a chance. I think she's capable of doing whatever she wants to do, and dealing with the results."

"And what if you leave her, and take up your old ways, becoming our enemy once again?"

"I know her well enough to know that she will do what is necessary, even if it meant taking me down. Or trying to," he amended.

"Well, then I suppose there is not much more I can say," Xavier sighed. "Now, about those Acolytes of yours..."

"Oh them."

"We haven't seen them for a while, but I'm sure that they haven't gone far. Are they going to be a re-occurring problem?"

Erik thought about it. "I could probably dissuade Colossus, since I was blackmailing him on to the team anyway. Stop looking at me like that! Gambit's in it for kicks; he's a former member of the Thieves Guild from New Orleans... Charles, I said stop looking at me like that! Pyro is, how do I put it, certifiable? And Sabretooth, well, he never listened to me much anyway. Always doing his own thing."

He leaned back in his chair and sighed. "The number of times I had to punish the man absolutely boggles... WILL YOU STOP GIVING ME THOSE LOOKS?!"

Professor Xavier sighed and shook his head. "So you'll deal with them?"

"Yes, yes," Erik got to his feet. "Can I go now? I have an English essay to do for tomorrow on the so-called modern novel."

"You haven't started it yet?"

"CHARLES!"

**

Erik headed down to the library, clutching his homework bag. "I should have asked Charles if I could stop going to school now," he muttered. "These teachers are sadistic, and I thought they were bad in the 1930s!"

"At least they don't have corporal punishment now," Rogue said sweetly, popping up next to him.

"GAH! When did you get Kurt's power?" He demanded.

Rogue glared at him. "Ah'll have you know Ah haven't absorbed _anyone_ for days now. Not since Juggernaut!" she grinned. "So, did the Professor give you a spanking?"

"ROGUE!"

"Ooooh, touchy."

Erik sighed. At least Rogue's manic behaviour around him meant he was forgiven again.

"Rogue, I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Oh? What?" Rogue's eyes widened.

"Why do you..." Erik groped for the words. "Act like this around me?"

"Act like what?"

"Psycho-perky goth," he said.

"Where did you get that term from?"

"Kitty."

"Figures."

"Anyway, the point is, why? Why the bouncy, happy you? Not that I don't like you being happy, but usually you're busy snapping everybody's head off. Except for Scott of course."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Leave Scott out of it okay? I don't know. You just bring this out in me, I guess. I tried to stop, I really did. But it's kind of fun, and you should SEE the look on your face."

"Uh huh." He opened his books. "So you're doing this because you like to watch me be nervous?"

"Pretty much," Rogue sat down opposite him and propped her chin on her hands, beaming. "Like Ah said before, Ah just like watching you sweat."

"I'm never going to get this essay done," moaned Erik.

"Well you should have done it earlier!" Rogue sang. "This is what happens when you leave everything to the last minute."

"I didn't get it done earlier because I was helping YOU with your math!"

"Ah know. Life's hard isn't it?" Rogue grinned. "Want me to kiss and make it better?"

As Erik stared at her, she crawled onto the table, leaned over and kissed him firmly on the mouth.

"And now Ah'll leave you to your work," she said, crawling off. "See you later sugah!"

Erik sat in stunned silence as she left, while the room around him erupted in giggles. The various other students of Xavier's tried to muffle their laughter but soon gave up.

"You know, I was going to do this assignment, but the floor show is much better," Roberto said, in near-hysterical laughter. "Does anyone have a camera? I want to immortalise the look on his face!"

Erik never did get his essay done.

**

As she left the library, barely restraining herself from skipping, Rogue smiled giddily, savouring the feel of Erik's lips.

"Erik's so..."

*_Amanda's so great! Jean I love you, why don't you look at me? Kitty I really like you. Lance I like you a lot. Wanda sweetums!*_

"Rogue?"

She whirled around to see Scott standing on the stairs, a worried expression on his face. "Are you all right?"

She smiled weakly. "Sure, just a bit of a headache."

"I take it this means you're not up for the racquetball game tonight?"

She had completely forgotten they had challenged each other to a match. "Um, not really. How about tomorrow morning before school?"

He shrugged. "Sure, if you like," he smiled at her. "Go get some rest, get rid of that headache."

"Night, Scott," she watched him walk towards the library and then winced, clutching at the banister as the voices in her head welled up again. Damn powers. Why couldn't they all shut up! She hadn't absorbed anyone for days now, but her head still felt... crowded. She rubbed her forehead, wanting to be in her room, and lying down in her bed, and then blinked. She was on her bed.

*How'd that happen? Ah don't even remember going up the stairs. Must have been the headache.*

With a sigh, she collapsed on her bed, and into a deep sleep.

***  
End of Chapter 3

Authors' note: Okay, so we didn't write the Juggernaut fight in detail. Why? Because we thought it was fine just as it was portrayed in the cartoon and there wasn't much doing a huge rewrite. Erik and Rogue's magnetic powers wouldn't have a huge affect on the battle, and Erik was - as mentioned in this chapter - occupied with frizting the TV cameras. For those of you who haven't seen the cartoon yet... umm... use your imaginations, okay? ^_^ 


	5. Chapter Four: Self Possessed

Chapter Four: Self Possessed 

** 

Rogue smirked triumphantly as she watched Scott dive and miss the ball. 

"Oh man, you beat me again," he said, getting to his feet. "One of these days I'm going to beat you at this game." 

She grinned at him. "One day. Maybe. Want a rematch? I'm free this evening." 

"Oh, sorry Rogue, it's the concert this evening." 

"Oh yeah," she remembered. Kurt had been talking about nothing else. "So, are you going?" 

"Yeah, me and Jean are going together." 

"Oh." 

It was strange. Even though she had Erik now, in some strange fashion, she still cared about Scott. It still made her angry that he preferred Jean over her, and in fact had never even noticed her feelings towards him. 

"Are you going?" Scott asked.

"Uh, probably not," she said. "You know, crowds, me, not good combination." 

"So you and Erik will be staying here?" Scott asked casually. 

Rogue frowned at him. "Maybe, we haven't made any firm plans." 

"Oh, it's just that uh," Scott hesitated. "I kind of heard that the two of you were getting... quite friendly in the library yesterday." 

"If you're referring to me kissing him, yes," Rogue said coolly. 

"It's just that..." Scott floundered. "He's..." 

"Older than me, Magneto, Master of Magnetism, evil, evil, evil, blah, blah, blah," Rogue finished. "Ah've heard the lectureSeveral times now. Ah know what Ah'm doing!" 

"I'm sure you do, it's just that, I worry about you." 

"You do?" Rogue melted. 

"Yeah, I was just saying so to Jean." 

"Oh really?!" Rogue re-froze. 

Scott exhibited his usual cluelessness and packed up his gear. "Yeah, we all worry about you, Rogue," he said. "You're part of the team!" He patted her on the shoulder and left. 

Rogue stared after him with mixed feelings. Something roared within her and her temper flared. 

With a shout of rage, she threw her racquet at the wall. Pain stabbed in her temple and she sank to her knees, not noticing the large hole in the wall, where her racquet had smashed its way in. 

After a couple of minutes, she felt better, and got to her feet. 

"Oops." 

Quickly she left the court and nearly crashed into Wolverine. 

"Where's the fire, stripes?" He asked. 

"Uh, sorry, late for school! Gotta get a shower and changed." Rogue shot past him and headed for her room, and some tylenol. 

Wolverine frowned after her and then looked inside the court. His frown deepened when he saw the racquet embedded in the wall. 

** 

Rogue's headache was still bothering her as she walked up the steps into school. Kitty and Kurt had teased Jean about her 'date' with Scott almost all the way to school and Rogue felt grumpier and grumpier with each word. Luckily the others didn't question her mood and she was able to escape without having to answer any unwelcome questions. Erik would have queried, but he had left early to try and do some work on his non-existent essay. Rogue opened her locker and sighed. Not that she really wanted Erik to interrogate her about the wonky way her powers were behaving. 

Rogue frowned as she slipped the morning's books into her bag. Her powers had been misbehaving a lot lately and a nagging little voice said that she really should tell the others. Since Jean's problems with evolving powers Professor Xavier was adamant that the X-Men should come to him if there were any developments. Rogue bit her lower lip and reached for the handle of the girl's bathroom door. "It's not that bad" she said to herself. "Ah'm sure it's just because Ah've been a bit stressed, everything will be fine ah!"

She immediately found herself phasing through the door and stumbling into the bathroom. 

"Oh shi" 

"Rogue?" 

Rogue looked up and saw Risty standing at the sink, staring at her. 

"R-Risty Uh, hi good morning how are you?" Rogue babbled, wondering how much her friend had seen. 

"I'm fine," Risty put away her lipstick. "_You_ look like you're going to collapse. Are you okay, girl?" 

"Uh, yes, sort-of" 

"Oh, right, sure you are," Risty took her arm. "Come on, talk to me." 

They left the bathroom and walked down the corridor. Rogue tried to organise her thoughts into a plausible explanation. "Ah was studying late and" 

"Don't believe you," Risty interrupted. "Come up with something better." 

"Well," Rogue paused. Wanda was walking towards them, her expression hostile. Rogue's brows drew together and she turned her head, looking at Risty and ignoring Wanda as they passed by. Risty's eyes flickered over to Wanda for a brief second and she smiled slightly. 

"Rogue, unlike some people, I have _always_ been there for you, you KNOW you can trust me." 

"Ah know, but" Rogue stopped by a water fountain. "This isn't something that Ah can just" 

Pain lanced through her head along with images of clouds, lightening and rain. She stumbled back, clutching at her head. There was a rumble of thunder and with a sharp crack the water fountain seemed to explode. Water shot into the air, soaking Rogue, Risty and a number of nearby students who backed away in alarm. 

"What the hell happened?" 

"I don't know!" 

"The fountain blew up!" 

"Is it a bomb?" 

Risty grabbed the dazed Rogue and dragged her out of the panicking crowd. 

"Have to get out" Rogue gasped and Risty nodded. 

They ran outside to the picnic area and Rogue collapsed on one of the seats. Risty stood by, watching her gather her scattered wits. 

"Does this what happened back there have anything to do with you and your friends, and all the strange things that seem to happen around you?" Risty asked. 

Rogue looked up, eyes wide and a little frightened. "Wh-what do you mean?" 

Risty's mouth curved into a half-smile. "Rogue, I'm not _blind_ you know. Hanging around with you and the others, I've seen some things that are a little hard to explain." 

"Oh" Rogue looked at her hands. She tried to think clearly, to decide what was the best thing to say. Risty was her friend and she seemed, no, she was trustworthy in Rogue's opinion, but could Rogue really tell her the truth? And yet, it would be wonderful to talk to someone, to confide in Risty all the messed up feelings and fears running around in her head right now. She bit her lip and looked up again. "Actually, Risty there is something Ah need to tell you" 

** 

"Mutant? Is that what you call it?" Risty tapped her lower lip thoughtfully with one finger. "I guess that makes sense." 

It was half an hour later, first period was almost over, and Rogue had just revealed everything about her power and the X-Men to Risty. Risty had taken the news surprisingly well; in fact she seemed to be more curious than appalled. 

"Well, now I know why you wear gloves all the time," she grinned. "I have to admit I WAS wondering about that!" 

"Yeah," Rogue laughed slightly. "Some powers can be really problematic." 

"But you are okay getting close to Erik," Risty frowned. "Does he neutralise your power or something?" 

"Umm he has magnetic powers and he creates this shield that" Rogue blushed. "Anyway, it means we can touch, yeah. Ah still haven't got the hang of it yet." 

"I'm sure you'll figure it out soon," Risty said soothingly, putting a hand on Rogue's arm. "So, now did you make the fountain blow up?" 

"Ah Ah think so," Rogue sighed. "Ah think my powers are a little whacked right now. Ah keep hearing voices in my head of the people Ah've absorbed and sometimes Ah manifest their powers too," she shivered. "It's scary sometimes." 

"You know what you need?" Risty said cheerily. "You need to stop _thinking_ about this so much! Why don't you and I spend some quality 'girl time' together tonight? Go to the concert maybe, and then do something else that's fun?" 

"The concert? Ah don't know," Rogue frowned. "Ah'm not real good with crowds, for obvious reasons." 

"I'll protect you! Come on," Risty urged. "You need to get away from it all! What do you say?" 

There were a dozen good reasons to refuse, but Risty's enthusiasm was infectious. "Umm well, okay," Rogue said with a slight smile. "Thanks, Risty. You're a good friend." 

** 

"Did you get angry about something today?" Pietro enquired, laying a hand on the door of his sister's open locker.

Wanda looked blank. "What?"

"The water fountain," Pietro jerked his head in the direction of the destroyed fountain. "Was that you?"

"What are you implying?" Wanda glared at her brother. The locker door rippled beneath his hand and he grinned nervously.

"Nothing, nothing! I was just asking!"

"Then stop asking," she snapped. "I didn't do it."

"Okay, okay," Pietro said quickly. "Hey Wanda, now that you're not buddy-buddy with you-know-who, why don't you join the Brotherhood in showing up those X-geeks?"

She raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"Well," he leaned in. "The way I figure it, Mystique's not around and _he's_ playing nice with the other side, so it's up to us to make sure that the x-geeks don't get the idea that they've won."

Wanda snorted. "Get a clue, Pietro! He's only friendly with them so he can get information. Once he's got what he wants then he'll be back, orchestrating his big master plan. And when he does," her voice lowered to an angry hiss. "I'll be there, ready to take him down."

Pietro drew back. "Whoa you're still pissed at him? If you're so mad, why aren't you attacking him now?"

"Because unlike SOME people, I am not stupid enough to bring the X-Men down on me, which would happen if I attacked him now because they think he's one of them!" Wanda wrenched her locker door from his grasp and closed it. "And what makes you think Mystique isn't around? She's a shapeshifter! She could be anyone here, a teacher or a student," she smirked at her brother's stunned expression. "Think about it."

Leaving Pietro to gape after her, Wanda stalked down the corridor. Yeah, Mystique could be anyone, but she knew who the shapeshifter was right now. Risty Wilde, Rogue's friend. Wanda recalled the smirk on Risty's face earlier that day. Mystique was clearly pleased by the rift, since that meant Rogue would rely on her more and more. Well, Wanda decided that she didn't care. She really didn't. No matter that she had intended to tell Rogue Risty's identity before the Sentinel debacle. Rogue deserved to be duped by Mystique, she was a stupid, secret-keeping idiot who had the hots for a man Wanda believed should be squashed like the cockroach he was. 

"I don't care," Wanda muttered defiantly, ignoring the stares of the other students. I just don't CARE!"

**

Erik came home alone that day. Rogue had not turned up at their usual meeting spot after school, and he'd heard from Kurt that she'd left with Risty. Figuring that he would see her at dinner, and because he had no reason to stay out, he decided to go home immediately and get his homework out of the way for the weekend.

The mansion was in a state of chaos. Erik stared at the people running around and yelling at each other, and for a moment, thought that they were under attack. He grabbed a passing Multiple.

"What's going on, Jamie?" He demanded.

"We gotta get ready!" Jamie said excitedly. "For the concert, you know? I'm taking Kitty! I'm going to give her a corsage to wear!"

Erik raised an eyebrow. "Concert?"

"You know! The Concert! The one that we've been waiting for all week. You're going, right?"

"You have GOT to be joking."

"But, but... they're great! Their music..."

"That is NOT music!" Erik complained. "I've heard that stuff, it's just a lot of shouting and banging!"

Spyke paused behind him. "Man, you are REALLY showing your age."

Erik glared and let Jamie go. "At least Rogue isn't going," he muttered.

Rogue burst through the door. "Hi Erik! Bye Erik!" She started up the stairs.

"Wait! Wait! What's the rush?"

"Ah've got to get ready for the concert!"

Erik's jaw dropped. "What?"

"Risty and Ah are going, Ah didn't really want to but she talked me into it, and maybe she's right, maybe it will be fun."

"Ah," Erik suddenly felt very left out. 

"You can come if you like. Ah'm sure Risty wouldn't mind."

"No, I'm sure she would mind," Erik managed a smile. "Have a nice time Rogue, be careful ­ there'll be a lot of people there."

"Yes _Sir_," Rogue rolled her eyes. "Ah know how to keep covered up. Have a good night in!" She fled up the stairs to change.

Erik watched her go and sighed. 

"So," Wolverine's voice behind him made him jump. "Looks like it's just gonna be you, me, Ororo, the Professor and Hank in tonight."

Erik sighed again. "Oh. Fantastic. If you need me, I will be in the library."

Two hours later, Erik had completed a translating a text for German, some calculus problems, and made a start on his European History essay when the library door slammed open.

Wolverine stared at him. "Have you been here all evening?"

Erik stared back. "Yes... Why?"

"Because Scott just called. Apparently the concert was trashed by Sabretooth, Juggernaut, and Mystique... and there's just been a report on the late news that a guy answering to your, old, description just destroyed a police car."

Erik looked at him blankly. "I have been here, all night! I've been studying idiotic topics that I already know!"

"You don't have a twin brother or something do you?"

"No!" Erik said indignantly. Then he calmed down and thought about what Wolverine had just said. "The, uh, me had magnetic powers?"

"Certainly sounds that way."

"So, it couldn't have been Mystique imitating me, because she wouldn't have had my powers, only my form. It would have to be someone who could either mimic, or had acquired..." A horrible, horrible image formed in Erik's mind. "Rogue was at the concert ­ do any of the others know where she is?"

Wolverine's eloquence silence and then subsequent swearing was enough answer.

"But why would she DO that?" Erik demanded. "And how _could_ she anyway? It's been ages since she absorbed Mystique."

"Well, whatever it is, if this is Rogue, she's not thinking straight, and we need to stop her," Wolverine turned to go. "You coming?"

"Yes. But, I'm going to get someone else first." If Rogue's powers really have gone berserk, Erik thought, then it's going to take more than we've got to bring her down.

**

"Wanda! Open the door, it's an emergency! WANDA!" Erik beat his fists on the Brotherhood's door before pausing. "What am I doing?"

Focusing his magnetic powers, he wrenched a section of railing loose and smashed it through the door. "WANDA! Get down here!"

Wanda stormed down the stairs, power pooling in her hands.

"What do _you_ want?" She spat. "Get OUT!"

"No, I need you," Erik said. "Rogue may be in trouble."

"Why should I care?" Wanda sniffed.

"It's _serious_, Wanda," Erik gritted. "Her powers may have gone completely out of control."

"Oh, well why don't you stick her in an ASYLUM then!" Wanda screamed back.

"What happened?" Lance put a word in.

"We don't know!" Erik said in frustration. "Rogue went out to the concert tonight with Risty, the next thing we know is Juggernaut, Sabretooth and Mystique are all crashing the stadium, then apparently me, and we can't find Rogue, and _someone's_ going ballistic downtown!"

Wanda's face went pale. "Rogue went with Risty?"

"Yes," Erik paused, and then his face hardened. "Why?!"

"Risty is Mystique," Wanda whispered.

Erik took a deep breath. 

"AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ROGUE??!!!"

"That's not the point now!" Wanda grabbed her coat. "Let's just go!"

Lance, Pietro, Toad and Blob looked at each other. It had been a long time ago, and they were on opposite sides now, but Rogue had been one of them once. Besides, if Rogue was going psycho in the middle of town, then it was only a matter of time before mutants were outted, and even the Brotherhood knew that would be a bad thing.

"We're coming too."

**

The road rippled, cars toppled over, lightening flashed and destructive beams of ruby red were fired on the retreating X-Men. Erik stared in horror at the devastation around him and then looked up at the slender figure in the sky who was responsible. The X-Men kept trying, again and again, to halt Rogue's rampage, but she continually threw them back ­ literally. Pietro zapped out of the way as Spyke was hurled past, only managing to stop himself by digging his spikes into the road. 

"We are SO screwed yo." said Toad behind Erik.

Erik couldn't help but agree. A small part of him kept saying: damn! If only she was on _my_ team. But he squashed that thought.

"Okay, I'll go up there and contain her. Then we will try and calm her down."

"Good luck," muttered Lance. "She doesn't look very happy."

Erik ignored him and flew up. "Rogue! I..."

He shuddered as a lightning bolt hit his shields. "Ow. Listen Rogue, we just want to help! We're your friends."

"Oh no," said Scott, down on the ground. "Everyone duck! He used the F word!"

Rogue's blazing eyes fixed on Erik. "AH HAVE NO FRIENDS!" 

Eyebeams, lightning and hexbolts hit his shields simultaneously, destroying them completely. Erik tried to maintain a calm demeanour and hide his fear. "Rogue! I don't want to do this, but you leave me no choice."

Metal from all sources flew up into the sky, encircling Rogue. 

"Please calm down!" Erik yelled as he formed a cage around her. "I don't want to hurt you!"

"Your loss," said Rogue, in an accent completely different from her normal one. "Fool! I have been caged too long! Now I control this body, and all its powers, and Zaladane shall defeat you all!"

The cage was shredded apart, and thrown back at Erik, who only just managed to deflect the pieces. Horrified, he realised that the personality of Zaladane, the psychotic wielder of magnetism who Rogue had absorbed so long ago, was now in control.

There was a loud bamf, and Rogue disappeared. Before Erik could react, there was another bamf behind him, and Rogue/Zaladane wrapped her arms around his neck. 

"Surprise lover," she purred in his ear. "And goodbye!"

Erik's body convulsed as electricity coursed through his body, and he fell silently while Rogue/Zaladane laughed. Luckily his fall was halted by Jean, who lowered him gently down to the ground.

Down on the ground, Wolverine took charge. "Okay, EVERYBODY clear out!" He ordered. "I can take a beating better than any of you can."

Wanda stepped forward. "I'm not leaving. She has magnetic powers, you have adamantium bones. She could rip that clean out of you. Let me help. I owe her that much."

Wolverine nodded. "Try and disorient her, and I'll get her down onto the ground. Bobby! I need a lift."

Wanda fired the biggest hex-bolt she could muster straight at Rogue/Zaladane who staggered in mid-air. As Rogue/Zaladane faltered, Wolverine zoomed up towards her, courtesy of Iceman, and launched himself at her. Still disorientated, Rogue/Zaladane was caught off guard by the additional weight and Wolverine bore her down onto the roof of a car, taking the brunt of the impact. Before he could get to his feet he found himself suspended in mid-air, claws extended and pushing towards his throat. Rogue/Zaladane smiled cruelly at him and leapt down to the ground. "Stupid little man, how dare you try to take me on."

"Fight her, Rogue!" Wolverine gasped as he was twisted around. "Don't let her push you around. I know what it's like to have nothing make sense in your head, but you have to fight!"

For a moment she faltered, her eyes turning green once more, but then they narrowed and the cruel smile returned. "Pathetic," she scorned. "All of you, unable to take on one little girl. You all deserve to die!"

"You're the pathetic one," Wanda sneered from behind her. "You couldn't beat Rogue all this time, and you had to _wait_ until her powers went crazy before you could even get up the guts to come out."

Rogue/Zaladane whirled but didn't manage to get up a shield before a hexbolt hit her.

"Now back in your cage, bitch. I want to talk to Rogue!" Wanda ordered. "Rogue! Can you hear me?"

"W-Wanda?"

"Wolverine's right, you gotta fight her!" Wanda yelled. "You have to fight all of them! I know it's hard, you just want to hurt everything and everyone right now, but you have to control it."

"But you hate me! Why do you care?"

"I don't _hate_ you, I was just _annoyed_. Friends get annoyed with each other sometimes," Wanda could hardly believe she was actually saying this, _and_ meaning it at the same time. It felt rather good actually. "And anyone will tell you that I have a really _bad_ temper, and tend to hold grudges for a very long time."

"She really does!" yelled Pietro from across the street.

"Shut up Pietro," Wanda snapped. "The point is that I've learnt to control my powers, and I will not let anyone control me. You're strong, and you're tough like me. The Rogue I know would not let anyone push her around."

"You can do it Rogue!" Wolverine called. 

Erik staggered up behind Wanda. "Come back to us Rogue. We need you." Softly he added to her, "_I_ need you." 

"Ah can't!" Rogue yelled, dropping to her knees. "There's too many of them!"

"You can take them! We'll help!" Wanda yelled. "Just hang on."

Erik turned around. "Charles!"

"I'm here Erik," Professor Xavier wheeled up beside him. "Rogue, let me help you. Together we can drive out these other personalities."

Rogue screamed and started morphing, taking on one by one the forms of all the people she had ever absorbed. Finally she turned into Zaladane, who glared at him. "I will not leave," she hissed. "This girl stole my life, and I will have hers in return."

"The hell you will!" Wanda said. "Rogue was there first. You get the hell out."

Jean stepped up to the Professor's side. "Do you need my help?"

"In this instance, yes."

"No!" Zaladane howled as Xavier and Jean united their minds against her, pushing her out. She screamed and her form wavered, until finally Rogue was herself again. Unconscious, she fell forward into Erik's arms.

Professor Xavier sank back in his chair, exhausted. Jean slumped to the ground next to him.

"That was horrible!" Jean moaned. "That woman's mind was disgusting!"

"Is Rogue going to be okay now?" Wolverine asked.

"I don't know," said Xavier. "It's not just this possession and exorcism that she has to deal with, but also Mystique's betrayal. I saw in her mind their true relationship."

"Mystique was Risty," Wanda blurted out. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything earlier. She's been masquerading as her to get close to Rogue this whole time. I guess to spy on you guys. Rogue must have found that out this evening."

"Yes, but that is not the end of the story. Tonight Rogue discovered that Mystique is also her adopted mother."

"MOTHER??!!" Everybody squawked.

"Mother? Mother is Rogue's mother?" Kurt blinked. "I have a big sister!"

Erik cradled Rogue gently in his arms. "I'm sure you're thrilled Kurt, but save it till later. Rogue needs to recover."

"Indeed, she needs to get some medical attention at once, and plenty of rest. This experience will leave her very fragile."

After Rogue had been taken away with Erik, Wanda and Kurt accompanying the Professor and Wolverine, the rest of the X-Men stood around looking at the destruction.

"You know," Pietro said. "I bet that if my father was himself, as he was before, he'd be kicking himself right now."

"Why?" Spyke asked.

"Well, he had Rogue on his team and he _lost_ her to _you_ guys, and she can do _this_!" Pietro spread his arms wide. "He wouldn't NEED anyone else, she's an army all by herself!"

"That's really insensitive Pietro," Kitty scolded. "After all Rogue's just been through, that's all you can think about?"

"Well, all of this rubble lying around does kind of bring it to mind, yes."

"Rubble. Yes. There is quite a lot of it isn't there?" Scott said. "That's going to make things interesting to explain."

"What do you mean, explain?" Lance asked.

"Well, how are we going to explain the fact that most of the school saw Sabretooth, Mystique and Juggernaut at the concert. Plus all the reports of weird people running around with weird powers?"

"_We_ don't have to explain anything," said Bobby. "Look at it this way ­ the only people who got seen were villains. Not us. I doubt anyone was taking much notice of you guys stopping things from falling when they were running away from the stadium. So, we can just blame it on, maybe Juggernaut? People have seen him around before."

"As much as I hate to say it Bobby, that makes sense." Jean agreed. "We should be okay. I hope."

"You don't think people might get just a _little_ bit suspicious that something's up?" Spyke demanded.

"They can _suspec_t all they want," Kitty snapped. "No one can _prove_ anything, as long as we make sure that we don't display our powers in any way." She glared meaningfully at the Brotherhood as she said this. "Then we will be fine."

"What's she looking at us for?" Blob asked.

Scott nodded. "In that case, let's get home before the police arrive and we have _really_ interesting questions to answer."

As the X-Men and Brotherhood began to make their respective ways home, Kitty grabbed Lance's elbow. "Hey, thanks for coming."

"S'okay," he grinned. "We didn't wind up _doing_ very much anyway."

"Yeah, but you came, and that's what counts." Kitty kissed him quickly. "See you later!"

Lance waved and smiled goofily. A snickering behind him wiped the smile off and he glared at his teammates. "Oh shut up."

** 

End of Chapter 4  



	6. Chapter 5

**  
  
Chapter 5: Erik's story  
  
A/N: A quieter, but important chapter before more action...  
  
**  
  
Looking unusually delicate, Rogue lay motionless on the infirmary bed, the soft sound of her breathing the only visual indication that she was still alive. Erik leaned forward, eyes fixed on her face, while on the other side of the bed Wolverine picked up Rogue's limp hand. Neither man had moved from Rogue's side since she was first brought in.  
  
*Wake up,* Erik begged silently. *Open your eyes Rogue, show me that you're going to be all right. I don't want to lose you too, not like this.*  
  
Wolverine squeezed Rogue's hand. "I'm not going to lie to you, kid," he said. "There's something about betrayal that cuts deep, but you pull through it."  
  
Rogue's eyelashes fluttered and she stirred, her fingers curving around Wolverine's hand. She opened her eyes and looked at them, a sad smile curving her lips. One solitary tear ran down her cheek. "You two."  
  
Erik restrained the impulse to envelop her in a tight embrace. "Welcome back, Rogue," he smiled, brushing a strand of hair away from her cheek.  
  
She flinched a little and her smile faltered. Removing her hand from Wolverine's she touched her forehead. "My head hurts," she murmured in confusion. "And it's. quiet."  
  
"Charles drove them out," Wolverine reminded her. "They won't bother you again."  
  
"Even Zaladane?"  
  
"Even Zaladane," Xavier confirmed as he wheeled into the infirmary. "I'm glad that you're awake, Rogue."  
  
"How long have Ah been.?"  
  
"Not too long," Erik reassured her. "And when you are feeling better, Wanda will want to see you," he smiled wryly. "Although she's not sure if you want to see her."  
  
"Ah. don't know." Rogue rubbed her forehead. "Ah feel so confused."  
  
"Understandable," Xavier said. "Erik, Logan, would you excuse us for a moment?"  
  
"Sure, Chuck," Wolverine got to his feet. "Shall I start looking?"  
  
"Yes, that's probably a good idea."  
  
Erik hovered for a moment, but a particularly strong glare from Xavier finally convinced him to leave - albeit reluctantly.  
  
"What are you looking for?" Erik asked Logan once they were out in the corridor.  
  
"Not what, who," Logan answered. "I'm going to find Mystique. find out what the hell she thought she was doing screwing around with Rogue's life like that."  
  
Erik's mouth twisted in distaste. "Mystique enjoys playing games with people, the fact that this was her foster daughter wouldn't make much of a difference."  
  
"She worked for you once," Logan stared suspiciously at him. "Did you have any idea?"  
  
"That Mystique had adopted Rogue? No," Erik shook his head. "I know that Mystique found her and was hiding her, but she found many young mutants."  
  
"For you."  
  
"All right, yes, for me," he glared. "Was it absolutely necessary to bring that up?"  
  
Logan matched Erik's glare. "I don't want to see Rogue hurt again by someone she trusts," he growled. "I know you don't believe in Xavier's views and you're just biding your time until you're proved right."  
  
"Which I will be," Erik bit out.  
  
"You think?" Logan smirked. "Humanity might just surprise you."  
  
"Huh. I doubt it," Erik said almost sadly. "Charles' dream is just that, a dream. I believed it once. tried to live for it, but the more I know of humanity, the further away that dream becomes."  
  
"But you're here now," Logan was surprised by Erik's unusual openness.  
  
"Yes, living amongst fools," Erik stared unseeing down the corridor. "All of you brave, loyal and powerful, but fools none the less," he refocused on Logan. "You wonder why I stay here? There are a few reasons, but one of them is that I've realised that there is no reason for me to hasten the inevitable and another is." he smiled. "I do not want to hurt Rogue."  
  
"Humph," Logan turned away. "You remember that, bub."  
  
Erik remained where he was for a moment, musing on the conversation that had just taken place as well as thinking about the girl in the infirmary. The sound of hesitant footsteps dragged him out of his thoughts and he looked around to see Wanda standing a couple of metres away, an anxious expression on her pale face.  
  
"How is she?"  
  
"Xavier says she'll be alright, but she's very weak right now," Erik regarded her. "He's just talking to her right now. Maybe you can see her once he's done."  
  
Wanda nodded. "So," she said hesitantly. "Where does that leave us now?"  
  
"Us - you and I - that is. up to you," Erik regarded her seriously. "I would prefer us not to be enemies and to build a new relationship out of the ashes of the old. Despite all of the bitterness and," he coughed. "Some temporal issues, I am still your biological father."  
  
Wanda considered this. "Perhaps I was a bit hasty condemning you," she said, looking away. "You didn't have to help Rogue tonight. it would have even hastened what you consider to be inevitable to have a super-powered mutant running amok through the city. Wasn't that your intention with the sentinel?"  
  
"You're very astute sometimes, Wanda," Erik said wryly. "Yes, originally I had intended to reveal us to the world using the sentinel. I had thought it time for mutants to stop hiding in the shadows and reveal their superiority to the world. In hindsight that was probably not one of my brightest ideas. The same with tonight, although I never even considered using Rogue as a tool to expose us all."  
  
Wanda looked at him then, a small smile on her lips. "Yes, you have changed. I used to think you were incapable of feeling, that nothing would touch you," her voice sharpened slightly. "Not even your own child's unhappiness."  
  
Erik was silent for a moment. "There was a very good reason why I put you in the asylum, Wanda. I wanted you to survive."  
  
"Survive?" Wanda was disbelieving.  
  
"You were a danger to yourself and those around you. How long do you think ordinary humans would have allowed someone so dangerous to live?"  
  
"Oh come on! No one would have staked me through the heart, we don't live in the Dark Ages anymore!"  
  
"Don't underestimate the power of fear," an expression of suffering flashed across his face. "I've learnt that lesson too well. So did Anya."  
  
"Who's Anya?"  
  
Erik hesitated. "Perhaps it is time you knew," he mused. "But I cannot tell you alone. This concerns Pietro as well."  
  
"Oh." Wanda frowned. "Why that idiot?"  
  
"He is your brother and my son. What I will tell you concerns family, and I don't want to be repeating this story twice."  
  
The door of the infirmary opened and they could hear Xavier's voice telling Rogue not to worry. Wanda bit her lip. "Will you tell us tomorrow?" she urged.  
  
Erik hesitated again, but it was too late to back out now. "Very well, come to the mansion tomorrow afternoon. Bring Pietro."  
  
"I will," she turned to Xavier as he came up to them. "Professor, is it okay if I see Rogue now?"  
  
"Certainly, Wanda, but don't tire her out, keep your visit short for now."  
  
Wanda nodded and went in to see Rogue.  
  
Xavier looked at Erik. "How are you two doing?"  
  
Erik sighed. "I am not sure. I think she has forgiven me to some extent. I have decided to tell her and Pietro about Anya."  
  
Xavier sucked in his breath. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"  
  
"No. For one thing, it makes me feel like - how did Evan put it? Oh yes - shit. Remembering the past is never pleasant. But perhaps they will understand some of my actions better, and it is time that they knew."  
  
"Very well then," said Xavier. "It's your decision. And if you would like something to take your mind off the past, perhaps you could turn your attentions to some pressing issues, for example the Acolytes."  
  
"Yes, yes, yes. I'll take care of them after I've spoken to Pietro and Wanda. Happy?"  
  
"Yes, thank you." Xavier smiled. "I see you're becoming accustomed to your current situation Erik, you're even beginning to sound like the other teenagers."  
  
Xavier wheeled away as Erik stared after him, spluttering in outrage.  
  
**  
  
Rogue lay back on her pillows and closed her eyes. Her head still ached and she felt so tired. Professor Xavier wasn't too concerned when she told him how weak she felt, he said it was only to be expected after everything that had happened. Rogue sighed. She couldn't really remember most of the events of the last few hours, and she was somewhat glad about that. What she did recall wasn't pleasant and muddled in with confusing thoughts about Mystique.  
  
"Hi," Wanda poked her head around the screen. "Can I come in?"  
  
Rogue's eyes flashed open and she stared at the other girl in surprise. Wanda was the last person she had expected to visit.  
  
And yet.  
  
"Sure!" Rogue gave Wanda a weak, but sincere, smile of welcome. "Have a seat."  
  
Wanda hesitated by the chair, before sitting down on a corner of the bed. "Ummm... I wanted to say..."  
  
"Ah'm sorry."  
  
"That's what I wanted to say!"  
  
The two girls stared at each other, and then started giggling.  
  
"Um, so peace then?" Rogue asked.  
  
"Peace," Wanda nodded. "I had a talk with my fath... with Erik."  
  
"Is he still breathing?"  
  
Wanda grinned. "It'll all heal. No, we just talked. He was... rather open. Maybe what happened has shaken him up, I don't know, but he seems to be different now."  
  
"That's what Ah've been telling you!" Rogue sighed in exasperation.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Wanda waved her hand dismissively. "He didn't stick YOU in an asylum for years."  
  
Rogue put her hand over her face. "Wanda, Ah'm not gonna fight with you about that. For one thing, Ah'm too tired, and Ah have a splitting headache. Can't you just accept that he's sorry about it?"  
  
"He took away my life!"  
  
"That's funny, that's more or less what Zaladane said about me," Rogue glared. "You want to sound like her?"  
  
"Don't insult me!" Wanda snapped. "I think I'm entitled to some anger."  
  
"True. Just don't overdo it is all Ah ask. And especially not now cos Ah'd really hate to have to get up out of mah nice comfy bed and kick your ass right now."  
  
"Like you could."  
  
"Oh, you want to bring it on?" Rogue hauled herself upright. "Alright then, let's see what you've got! Ah can take you with mah bare hands!"  
  
"That's cheating!"  
  
"Ah know."  
  
"Okay, okay!" Wanda waved her hands at Rogue. "I'll let it go for now. Just lie back down! You're making the machines beep in an alarming way!"  
  
"Fine," Rogue sniffed as she flopped back down, secretly relieved. Such a minor movement and she still felt a little giddy. "So, what did he say to you?"  
  
"Not a lot, but I think he wants to tell me and Pietro something important, something to do with someone called Anya."  
  
"Who's Anya?!"  
  
"No idea, but he sounded kind of sad." Wanda said thoughtfully. "She must have meant a lot to him."  
  
Rogue fumed. "Ah want to hear about it too!"  
  
"He said it was family stuff."  
  
"So? Ah'm family, sort of. X-Men family. And we're all mutants! And he's mah friend. And Ah think Ah'm owed something!"  
  
"Wow. Did you know your accent gets stronger when you're jealous?"  
  
"Ah ain't jealous! Just cos y'all're leavin' me outta things don't make me jealous!"  
  
"Riiight..." Wanda smiled.  
  
"Besides, you owe me."  
  
"Owe you?"  
  
Rogue glared. "That's right! For acting so silly about Erik, for not telling me about Risty, AND for hitting me with a hex bolt! That hurt!"  
  
"Are you trying to guilt trip me?!"  
  
"Is it working?"  
  
"Sort of."  
  
Rogue smirked.  
  
"Fine, fine, you can come..."  
  
"Nuh uh. Ya'll come here. Ah'm on enforced bed rest for the next couple of days."  
  
Wanda sighed. "Fine, okay."  
  
There was a pause.  
  
"You know, I've kind of missed you, Rogue."  
  
"Ah've missed you too."  
  
"But if anyone asks, we deny it."  
  
"Right."  
  
**  
  
"Was that Kurt?" Scott demanded.  
  
"No, that was Mystique. Kurt was over by the stage then."  
  
"I can see Jamie!"  
  
"But there's only one of him, so it should be okay."  
  
The X-Men were clustered around the TV, watching the special late edition news for coverage of the night's incidents. So far, several clips of Juggernaut, Sabretooth and occasional appearances by Mystique, and Magneto had been shown, as well as a tonne of interviews with concert attendees. All the so-called eye-witnesses were extremely confused.  
  
"It's the aliens man! They've come to get us!"  
  
"No way, had to be hallucinogenic drugs in the air. Maybe a chemical spill."  
  
"I think it was a publicity stunt just to sell the band's new album."  
  
"I'm telling you it's aliens! It's a government conspiracy! The truth is out there!"  
  
As the X-Men watched the guy get hustled away from the camera, Kitty sighed. "Like, thank God for the X-Files!"  
  
"I know, it's been so much help to us!" Kurt agreed.  
  
"So it looks like we are in the clear," Jean said, relaxing. "None of us appeared on tape, no one clearly saw what was going on, and of the few that DID get caught, one's a confirmed criminal, and everyone thinks Mystique was just wearing body paint."  
  
"And Sabretooth looked like a wrestler. And Magneto... Magneto had that stupid bucket on his head," snickered Bobby.  
  
There was a pause.  
  
"Bucket?"  
  
They all swivelled to see Erik standing behind them, arms crossed. "Bucket?!"  
  
"Aheh, aheh, ahheh heh heh?" Bobby laughed hopefully. "Goodnight everybody!" He fled the room as Erik glared after him.  
  
"How's Rogue?" Kurt broke through the silence.  
  
"She's okay, Wanda is visiting her now."  
  
"This must be some new definition of okay that I'm unfamiliar with," Ray muttered to Rahne.  
  
"You left her alone with WANDA?" Kurt shrieked. "But they've been hating each other for weeks!"  
  
"Look at it this way, Wanda's been hating me for years, and I'm still here."  
  
"Somehow I am not comforted. I'm going to check on MY sister!" Kurt bamfed away.  
  
"Man, he's been saying 'my sister' every two minutes!" Kitty moaned.  
  
"Well, family's a big thing," Scott pointed out. "I can understand how he feels."  
  
"He's right," Erik said.  
  
There was another long pause as everyone gaped at them.  
  
"You mean, you two are actually agreeing with each other?" Roberto said in shock. "My God, that's it! The Apocalypse is upon us!"  
  
"Oh ha ha ha."  
  
**  
  
"I don't like this," Pietro said, hunching his shoulders. "Couldn't you have negotiated a better meeting place than Geek HQ?"  
  
"It'll be fine," Wanda said shortly. "If they start anything, they'll regret it."  
  
"I still don't like it," her brother grumbled as Wanda rang the doorbell to the mansion.  
  
Scott, wearing a baseball cap and holding a bat, opened the door. The twins eyed the bat nervously while Scott glared at them. "What are you two doing here?" he demanded.  
  
"They're here to see me," Erik said behind him. "Let them in, Summers, and stop being so paranoid."  
  
Scott muttered something uncomplimentary under his breath and turned sharply away from the door, stomping past Erik.  
  
"Don't let your bad mood spoil your game," Erik called after him.  
  
"Game?" Pietro raised an eyebrow. "What're those geeks up to now?"  
  
"Baseball," Erik replied. "Supposedly good for building character and encouraging team spirit."  
  
"Naturally you declined to join in," said Wanda.  
  
"The New Mutants are part of the game," Erik replied shortly. "I'd rather impale myself on something than get involved in a 'friendly' baseball game with those children. Besides," he added, waving them to follow. "I never learnt to play baseball."  
  
"Fath. Erik," Wanda called. "We have to go to the infirmary."  
  
He turned, raising his eyebrow. "Why?"  
  
"Because I promised Rogue that she would be part of this."  
  
"You. what?"  
  
"I did emphasise that this was 'family', but."  
  
Erik sighed. "You don't need to say anymore, Wanda, I think I get the picture."  
  
"Hey! Don't I get consulted about this?" Pietro blurted. "I don't want Rogue knowing intimate details about our family!"  
  
Wanda pinched his arm. "She likes him," she hissed nodding at Erik. "How much more intimate do you think she can get?"  
  
"Ewww."  
  
**  
  
Rogue stared at the ceiling over her bed. "102, 103, 104," she counted the specks. "105, 106..."  
  
"Rogue? Are you awake? How are you feeling?" Erik inquired, secretly hoping she might be asleep.  
  
"107! Did you know that there were 107 specks on this ceiling?"  
  
"She's lost it," said Pietro.  
  
"No, Ah'm just really, really bored. Hello Pietro, been locked into any closets lately?"  
  
Pietro snarled at her as he entered and sat down on the only chair.  
  
"Hey Rogue," Wanda said.  
  
"What, no flowers? No chocolate? What kind of friend are you? It's bad enough that HE doesn't give me anything."  
  
"I thought Kitty was bringing you some food." Erik said, as he and Wanda each sat down on opposite sides of the bed.  
  
"You call that food?! It's not enough that I'm lying here, but I have to be poisoned as well?" Rogue waved at a tray by her bed. "Kurt keeps bringing me her experiments."  
  
"What's this?" Pietro asked, poking at it.  
  
"Dr Pepper S'mores. I think it's got chocolate and cool whip and other, unidentifiable, things in it. Including Dr Pepper of course."  
  
"Oh." Pietro stopped poking.  
  
"Help yourself," Rogue smirked.  
  
Erik cleared his throat. "Shall we get started?"  
  
"Yes," said Rogue. "Who's Anya?"  
  
"You've been stewing about this all night, haven't you?" Wanda asked.  
  
"Ah have not!"  
  
"Your accent is getting thicker again."  
  
"Aw shuddup."  
  
Erik sighed. "Anya was my firstborn."  
  
Silence descended.  
  
"WehaveanotherSISTER?!" Pietro was the first to recover.  
  
"Had. She died before you were born." Erik turned away and stared at the wall. "How much of my past do you know?"  
  
"Uhhhh..." Pietro and Wanda looked at each other.  
  
"You're 72 years old," Rogue volunteered. "So that means you were born in 1931."  
  
"Yes, I was born in 1928," Erik confirmed, "on the borders of Germany and Poland. My parents were middle-class, non-practicing Jews."  
  
"Ah," said Rogue. "Suddenly Ah'm beginning to see where this is going?"  
  
"You had to flee to America to escape the Nazis?" Pietro asked.  
  
"We were not that lucky," Erik said sadly. "My parents, my sister, all my family were taken and placed in a camp. Including me. They died there. I survived. That is why you have no other family."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"While I was in the camps I met a girl, Magda. She was rescued along with me by some American soldiers in 1945."  
  
"Wait, rescued? Why didn't you just burst out of the camps? You had your powers, right? They must have manifested by then."  
  
"Extreme malnutrition and disease can delay the onset of puberty," Erik said distantly.  
  
There was a long pause before Erik continued with his story.  
  
"Magda and I settled down and tried to rebuild our lives, together. Eventually we married and had a daughter - Anya. She was my hope, my talisman." His voice faltered. "She would have been 43 this year, if she'd lived."  
  
"What happened to her?" Pietro asked.  
  
"She was murdered," Erik's voice turned to ice. "By humans."  
  
"She was a mutant?"  
  
"I don't know. She died before her powers, if any, could manifest. She was only 10 when they set the fire."  
  
"They BURNED her?" Wanda said incredulously.  
  
Erik smiled bleakly. "You said the other night that it wasn't the Dark Ages anymore Wanda, but they're not as far back as you think they are. Yes, they burned her, and Magda also. I couldn't get to them in time to save them. I didn't have enough control over my powers, they had only manifested very recently. I was still trying to comprehend what was happening to me, and unfortunately showed my powers to the wrong person. The foreman of the company I was working for refused to pay me, and in my anger I displayed my abilities. He took his revenge by burning all I loved."  
  
"Okay, Ah'm beginning to see why you're not that thrilled about humanity," Rogue said.  
  
"What did you do to the foreman?" Wanda demanded.  
  
"Oh I killed him, and all the people around too. I don't really remember what happened, except a great rage that welled up within me and then exploded. When I awoke, everyone was dead."  
  
"Good." Wanda said fiercely.  
  
"Somehow I thought you'd approve," Erik said softly. "But it couldn't bring them back."  
  
"So, if Magda died..." Rogue followed a thought.  
  
"Then, who's our mother?" Pietro asked quietly.  
  
Erik sighed. "Her name was Isabelle. She was a psychiatrist and tried to help me."  
  
"Isabelle," Wanda rolled the name around on her tongue. "Our mother's name was Isabelle. It's pretty."  
  
"I had been wandering for years, lost, trying to find my purpose. Once I thought I found it in Israel - that is where I met Charles Xavier - but it was not to be. Then one day I met Isabelle." He smiled at Wanda. "You look very much like her - dark hair, flashing eyes, and fiery temper. I didn't expect to love her, but I did. We married and for a while all was well. Then I started to pour my energy into the Cause."  
  
"Mutant supremacy?" Rogue guessed.  
  
"I did not want to see mutants being treated the way the gypsies and the Jews were, all those years before." Erik sighed. "I saw more mutants appearing all the time, and I began to fear that it was only a matter of time before the dark days descended again. Charles had his hope of mutant and human co-existence. But history, and Anya, told a different story. They would hate us, they would hunt us, and they would kill us if we did not fight back. And I was determined not to lose again."  
  
"So you poured your energy into the Cause, and Isabelle was unhappy?" Rogue asked.  
  
"She never said anything, but I probably should have noticed that something was bothering her."  
  
"Was she a mutant? Did she know you were one?" Pietro asked.  
  
"No to both questions. But she found out one day. I was training in secret, honing my abilities. Isabelle had begun to suspect that I had taken a lover, and she followed me. Instead of discovering a mistress, she found out my true nature. And it horrified her." He bowed his head. "She fled from me in terror and disgust."  
  
"How stupid, if you truly love someone you accept them for what they are!" Rogue exploded.  
  
Erik gave her a long look, before smiling gently.  
  
"I looked for her of course," he continued. "But by the time I tracked her down, she had died giving birth to the two of you."  
  
"Poor mother," Wanda said. "She feared you, and yet she had us."  
  
"Do you think she would have hated us too?" Pietro's usually rapid speech was slow and hesitant.  
  
"I... I don't believe so." Erik stuttered slightly. "I'd like to believe that she would have come around and gotten used to the idea eventually. And after all, you were both very... cute... as babies."  
  
"Is this the cue for photos?" Rogue asked.  
  
"NO!" Wanda and Pietro shouted.  
  
"Anyway, the rest you know. I kept the two of you with me until Wanda's powers became too obvious. After that, I placed Pietro in a foster home, and continued my work, waiting for you both to be strong enough to join me."  
  
Wanda covered her eyes with her hands. "Did you think what happened to Anya would happen to us?" she asked in a thick voice.  
  
"Yes," Erik said bluntly. "I placed you in the asylum for your own protection. It sounds harsh, and it is, but that is the way I am. The way life has taught me to be."  
  
Wanda didn't take her hands away and Erik continued. "I ensured that Charles knew about you and that he became your psychiatrist," Erik's mouth twisted. "I am not the only one to hate for leaving you there, Wanda, or who thought it was the best place for you. Charles could have taken you away at any time, but you could not control yourself, you were too risky to release."  
  
"You never visited."  
  
"I know, I am sorry."  
  
Pietro said nothing, he simply stared at the floor, trying to assimilate all the information he had just received and understand it. He recalled his own hurt when his father had handed him over to the Maximoff family without explanation and for the first time really empathised with his twin.  
  
A neutral silence fell as they each picked over their thoughts.  
  
BAMF.  
  
"Oh Rogue, you're gonna like this one!" Kurt sang joyously. "Pepperoni pizza with wasabi and chillies, topped with cheese whizz!"  
  
"Oh God," Rogue moaned. "Get away from me."  
  
"Hey what is Pietro doing here? Why all the gloomy faces?" Kurt asked. "You look like you're at a funeral!"  
  
"We kind of are," Wanda said. "A funeral for the sister we never knew."  
  
"Oh man, that's rough." Kurt said. "I'm sorry. But, you all have each other now, and that's good, right? I'm sorry to barge in like this, but I just wanted to check that my sister was okay and to give her this delicious food!"  
  
"If it's so delicious, YOU eat it!" Rogue retorted.  
  
"Your sister?" Pietro asked.  
  
"But of course, Mystique is both our mothers!"  
  
"Mystique may have given birth to you, but she only adopted me," Rogue pointed out.  
  
"Now that's just denial talking. Family is family, and I have always wanted a brother or sister." He smiled at her, before looking at Erik. "And just think, when you and Erik get married, he will be my brother! Heh, and I will be Uncle Kurt!"  
  
"UNCLE?" Pietro choked.  
  
"MARRIED?" Wanda shrieked.  
  
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Rogue yelled.  
  
Erik just gaped at him.  
  
"Of course I'm a little uncomfortable with you being a supervillain, but since my mother is one too I guess it doesn't really matter," Kurt mused.  
  
Erik found his voice. "Kurt, I believe you are moving MUCH too far in the future right now."  
  
"Am I? Okay then. I can wait." Kurt picked up the untouched Dr Pepper S'mores and bamfed away.  
  
"Can I just say, EWWWWW!!!" Pietro said loudly.  
  
"I'll say," Rogue sniffed at her dinner. "Chilli AND wasabi???"  
  
**  
  
Walking home that evening, Wanda turned to look at Pietro when he abruptly halted, staring out at the early stars.  
  
"Pietro? What are you doing?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, Wanda." Pietro turned back to staring out over the view from the picnic spot. "Nothing. Nothing. I'm just... thinking." He sat down suddenly on the grass.  
  
Wanda noted that he hadn't reacted with his normal fear and terror and then nodded. "Yeah, I've been thinking too." She sat down next to him.  
  
"Do you wonder what she would have been like?" Pietro asked.  
  
"Anya?"  
  
"Yeah." His eyes took on a far-away look. "Our older sister. I bet she would have been smart."  
  
Wanda looked at him sadly for a bit. "Yeah, and probably beautiful too."  
  
"Powerful too," Pietro added. "Maybe she would have had superspeed like me."  
  
"Or hexbolts like me," Wanda joined him in the game. "She might have been able to help me. Teach me."  
  
"She never would have left us," Pietro added. "She'd have talked our father around."  
  
"She'd have been able to twist him around her little finger," Wanda agreed. "And probably our mother too."  
  
"Our mother would have forgiven our father when we grew up."  
  
"Yeah. Although... if Anya was around then her mother would be too, so Isabelle wouldn't have been our mother."  
  
Pietro frowned as this piece of reality intruded on his fantasy. "Maybe he saved Anya but couldn't save Magda."  
  
"Sounds reasonable," Wanda said, consigning the fantasy image of Magda to the flames. *Sorry.* "Or maybe she got sick or something."  
  
"Yes! Sick, and so he and Anya carried on together. I bet she was a really sweet girl. Never lost her temper."  
  
"Never gave up on people."  
  
"A great cook."  
  
"Always smiling and singing."  
  
The twins leaned against each other, fantasising their perfect older sister, who could have been sister, mother, confidante and friend all rolled up into one. They could almost see her.  
  
Pietro sighed and let the fantasy go. "She probably never would have let us go into her room."  
  
"She'd have made us do our homework," Wanda added. "And chores."  
  
"But maybe she would have helped with them," Pietro tried to recapture the moment.  
  
"We'll never know, Pietro," Wanda hesitantly reached out and held onto his hand. "She never had a chance to show us what she could have been."  
  
"Do you think father misses her most?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Me too." Pietro sighed. "I don't even mind much that our mother didn't like mutants. I mean, it kind of hurts, but I think she would have gotten over it."  
  
"Mmmm," Wanda mentally compared her own temper and tendency to hold grudges to her shadowy mother-figure.  
  
"I just wish," Pietro halted. "I mean, I wish... I wish..."  
  
"That there had been someone for us," Wanda said. "Someone to fill the gaps. Someone to be a real family."  
  
Pietro went a bit pale. "I didn't mean it like that, Wanda, I mean, you're still my sister and everything!"  
  
Wanda squeezed his fingers lightly and for the first time he noticed her holding his hand. "I haven't been a very good sister."  
  
Pietro closed his fingers tightly around hers. "I wasn't much of a brother either," he said, hope rising desperately inside.  
  
"But it seems to be a time of second chances," Wanda continued, apparently aimlessly. "Don't you think?"  
  
"I do," Pietro's grip tightened. "I really do."  
  
"So, maybe we should give each other a second chance too," Wanda said, resting her head on Pietro's shoulder. "How about it, brother mine?"  
  
"That sounds nice. sis," Pietro said nervously. "I'd really like that."  
  
"Then let's do it."  
  
"'Okay."  
  
They sat together for another hour, saying silent goodbyes to family they'd never known, before returning home.  
  
**  
  
End of part five  
  
Author's note: Magneto was revealed to have been in a camp in Poland as a boy in 'Operation Rebirth'. Due to the changing timelines in Evolution compared to the comic universe, we tweeked Magneto's past a little. In the comic universe, Magda was Pietro & Wanda's mother, but it is highly unlikely that she would have been having children in her mid fifties, so we made Isabelle - who Magneto was in love with in the comic universe (before she was murdered) - the twins mother. For more information about where we drew Erik's story from t 


	7. Chapter 6: Lock & Key

Part Six: Lock and Key

**

"Good evening Rogue."

"You're being awfully formal," Rogue replied sleepily. "What's up? And why are you wearing your costume?"

Erik sat down on the bed and took her hand. "I just dropped by to say goodbye."

"WHAT?!"

"No! Not that kind of goodbye!" Erik hastily reassured her while rubbing at his ringing ears. "Xavier has asked me to go and deal with the Acolytes once and for all."

"You're gonna kill them?"

"No. I'm going to fire them."

"Okay..."

Erik smiled. "Not quite like that of course. But since I do not require their assistance any longer, it seems pointless to keep them around. Also they've been rather annoying lately. I'm going to officially disband them, and let those of them who desire it come here to hear Xavier's arguments. He is hoping to recruit one or two of them for the X-Men, or at least for other projects. I believe Colossus at least would be interested. He's not really a fighter at heart, and I'm sure it will relieve him to know that I won't be threatening his family any more."

Rogue glared at him.

"And I'm sorry that I did that," Erik added hastily. "Really."

"Hmph. How long will you be gone for?"

"Depends on how difficult they are. I should be back by tomorrow anyway, but I just wanted you to know where I was." Leaning forward, he kissed her gently on the forehead.

"You call _that_ a goodbye kiss?" Rogue demanded as he pulled back. She grabbed the front of his costume and dragged him down for a much longer and more energetic kiss on the lips. 

"_That's_ a goodbye kiss," she said, releasing him.

"I will... remember that in future," Erik said dazedly. "I'll see you when I get back."

Unsteadily, he walked to the door, and managed to get through it after only two tries. Rogue leaned back in her bed with a pleased smile on her face.

**

An hour after leaving the Mansion, Erik dropped down in front of his mountain base. With an imperious gesture he opened the steel doors and entered. No one challenged him as he walked purposefully down the corridors and entered the main control room. 

He frowned. The Acolytes were not there, nor did they seem to have noticed his entrance. Quickly he accessed the main computer and activated the security cameras. "Clearly they have been a bit lax in my absence"

He paused as something in the corner caught his eyes. On a pedestal lay his old cloak and helmet. He approached them and picked up the helmet, hesitating only for a moment before placing it on his head.

"Boss? You're back"

He turned to see Pyro gaping at him in the doorway. "Correct, Pyro, I have returned," he said, his voice resonating deeply due to the helmet. He felt the old, familiar feeling of control settle upon him and enjoyed it. For a moment he was tempted to abandon his promises to Charles and return to his old way of life, but then the memory of Rogue's goodbye kiss burned through his memory and he pushed temptation aside. "I have come to"

"So where's Gambit?"

"Excuse me?"

"Didn't you come and take Gambit for a job?"

"No"

"Oh," Pyro scratched his head. "That's odd."

"Pyro, tell me everything."

"Well, you or at least I thought it was you well, y'know it's like a dream really someone who I thought was you came and Gambit left with him you whoever."

"Do you mean to tell me that Gambit has left, with an impostor, and you and the others have done NOTHING about it?"

"We thought it was you!"

"Surely Sabretooth would have scented me."

"Yeah, but he" Pyro gulped. "He took off, a while ago"

"With another me?"

"No he just left, said he was bored and wanted to do something else," Pyro managed a nervous smile. "Uh you weren't exactly contactable or we'd have called."

"Right," Erik was secretly relieved that he did not have to worry about Sabretooth. *Besides, if I know that idiot he'll come after Logan one day soon and the X-Men can take care of him.* "Did you or Colossus bother trying to track Gambit no of course not," he said before Pyro could answer. "You thought he was with me."

"Uh..."

Erik ignored the boy and turned to the security monitors. "When did he leave?"

Five minutes later Erik frowned at the images presented to him on the screens. A man with an oddly marked face entered the base, somehow managing to confound Colossus and Pyro, and walked out with Gambit following like an obedient puppy. Erik checked Gambit's tracking beacon and was relieved to see it was still active. Obviously the Cajun had not discarded his costume. It did not take long for Erik to determine his Acolyte's location, something that brought an even deeper frown to his face. 

"What is he doing at Warren Worthington's place?"

"Boss?"

"Nevermind," Erik turned back to Pyro and saw that Colossus had joined the boy. "You two remain here, I will return with Gambit and this mysterious man who dared to steal one of my people."

"Uh sure," Pyro said.

"Is he back with us now?" Colossus asked his teammate after Erik had left. 

"Search me, mate."

**

Gambit's presence was confirmed when Erik saw the Cajun leap over the Worthington House gates. Holding back, he watched as Angel confronted the thief and a cloaked figure. His eyebrows rose when Worthington fell, unconscious, from the sky after the mysterious figure looked up at him. Now it was time to act.

Focusing his powers on the metal fence, he tore loose a number of the pointed poles and flung them in front of the cloaked man, who tried to escape in the other direction, only to be halted by another barrage. Erik smirked as he caged the man, and descended.

"Whoever you are, you've got courage," he said. "Not everyone would hypnotise one of Mine to do their stealing."

He had really missed this helmet. It made his voice sound so _cool_.

The mysterious man looked up, his marked face drawn into angry lines. Erik felt a slight pressure on his mind, and smiled triumphantly.

"Don't bother. Your psychic blasts can't affect me."

The man glanced at Gambit, who immediately drew out a playing card and charged it up.

*I don't think so.* Erik wrapped the poles tightly around the man, squeezing hard. "Release your mental hold on Gambit. Now!" 

The man sighed, "Alright."

Gambit blinked. "Where am I?" He blinked again. "Magneto?"

Erik ignored him and reached for the object that the mystery man held. "And as for this relic, let's find out if it was really worth it."

*Something serious is going on here,* he thought to himself. *What should I do? Mastermind is in Italy, and I feel that time is of the essence. Perhaps, yes, Charles.*

The decision made, he rose into the air, pulling the improvised cage along with him. A quick glance ascertained that Worthington was uninjured and therefore, safe.

"Come Gambit," he said. "Let us gather the others."

"Riiight" Gambit said slowly. "You de boss. I guess."

"Don't worry," Erik said absently. "All will be revealed soon."

Gambit's eyebrows shot up, that didn't sound like the usual thing Magneto would say. However, he shrugged the surprise aside and followed his leader back to the base.

Once they got there, Erik brushed aside Pyro and Colossus' questions. "Prepare to shut down the base, only leave essential systems online. We are leaving for the Xavier Mansion."

"Oh right WHAT?" The three Acolytes gaped at him.

"I knew it!" Gambit drew out some playing cards and moved into a fighting stance. "You are still with them, n'est-ce pas?"

The floor beneath him rippled and trapped his feet. "Gambit, I do not have time to debate things with you," Erik said coldly. "So shut up, and remember that I can still hand you over to the Thieves Guild in New Orleans. I'm _sure_ there are a number of questions that they still want to ask you."

"Now get moving. We're leaving in 30 minutes."

**

"Who the hell is banging on the door?" Bobby asked sleepily, raising his head from his pillow. "Don't they know what time it is?"

"Huh? Door?" Ray mumbled. 

Bobby sighed and hauled himself out of bed as the pounding continued.

"Yeah, yeah, we're coming," he moaned. "Oh, hey Amara."

"Hey, Bobby," Amara yawned, cutting ahead of him on the way to the front door. "I swear, if this is an insurance salesman, there's gonna be trouble."

"At this time of night?" Bobby asked. "And besides, how would they get through the security systems wait a sec the security systems are on, right?"

"Yeah," Amara reached for the door.

"Then how would someone get through?" Bobby sluggishly worked through the logic as Amara undid the locks.

"I don't know," Amara yawned again, and pulled open the door. "Perhaps they flew... geep?"

Her jaw dropped as she stared at the tall, handsome, winged figure standing in the doorway. 

"Hi," said Warren nervously. "I'm sorry to barge in like this, but I must speak to Professor Xavier immediately."

"Ghk," Amara managed.

"Um, can I come in?"

"Uhhh...."

"Hello?" Warren waved a hand in front of Amara's face.

"Sorry, she's brain dead at this time of night," Bobby said as he dragged Amara out of the way. "Who are you?"

"I'm..."

"Warren!" Scott came down the stairs. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I'm trying to tell you," Warren said, stepping inside. "I had a late night visit from Magneto, among others."

"Erik?"

"Huh?"

//Welcome to the mansion Warren. Scott, please bring Warren upstairs to my study.//

"Whoa," Warren started, and put a hand to his head. "Does that happen often?"

"You get used to it," Bobby said.

//Bobby, Amara, go back to bed.//

"Aw man... Come on Amara. You can look at the pretty man later."

As Scott led Warren upstairs, there was a brief whimper of pain as Amara finally woke up and extracted vengeance.

Xavier looked far too alert for one o'clock in the morning as he welcomed Warren into his study and offered him a chair. "You had something you wished to discuss?"

Warren explained about his late night visitor, and the encounter he had had with the cloaked man outside his house. 

"...and when I woke up, the man was caged and being taken away by Magneto."

"I knew we couldn't trust him!" Scott burst out.

"Couldn't trust who?" Erik asked, walking in behind him. 

"GAH!"

"MAGNETO!" Warren leapt to his feet.

"Yes? Oh. You made good time Mr Worthington. I apologise for not stopping to assist you, but I could see that you were only stunned, and this seemed too important to delay."

Warren stared at him. "How? What? You look younger than last time."

"Don't remind me," Erik grumbled. 

"This is a nice place you got here, Monsieur Professeur. There are some valuable pieces here I see," Gambit observed, slipping in through the open door. 

"What's HE doing here!" Scott yelled.

"Hmph, but the welcome needs work," Gambit glared.

"Stand down Gambit. And don't touch anything."

"You're no fun," Gambit mumbled.

"I trust there is a very good explanation for all of this, Erik," Professor Xavier finally managed to get in a word.

"Yes, it's downstairs in the foyer."

By the time Warren, the Professor, Scott, Erik and Gambit had made their way downstairs, the whole house was up and staring at the make-shift cage hovering in the middle of the lounge.

"That's Mesmero!" Jean cried.

"Oh, at least we know his name now," Erik commented casually. "He hypnotised Gambit to make him steal this item." He handed the spider-stone over to Xavier. "I brought him here in the hopes that you would be able to ascertain his reasons for doing so."

"And you brought the other Acolytes here too, I see," Scott said sarcastically, glaring suspiciously at Pyro and Colossus. 

Pyro was not the least bothered by the unwelcoming reception, but Colossus looked a little unnerved. 

"Nice place you got 'ere," Pyro said cheerfully. "Love all the wood panelling. Got a sprinkler system?"

"Yes," Jean gritted out. "So keep your flames to yourself."

Pyro made a face but shut up.

"You did tell me that you wanted them to hear your pitch," Erik said. He was clearly enjoying the confusion and kafuffle that he had caused.

"I believe the first order of business is to uncover what Mesmero is up to this time," Xavier said. "Erik, could you install your associates in the guest rooms. I presume they will behave?"

"If they know what's good for them."

Gambit put down the vase he'd been examining.

"W'as going on?" A sleepy Southern drawl preceded Rogue's arrival. "W'as all the noise?"

"Rogue!" Warren and Erik both headed to her. "Are you all right?" They asked in unison.

"No. Ah think Ah'm gonna throw up, an' ma legs are shakin', and Warren? What're you doing here?"

Erik and Warren met on either side of Rogue, and glared over her head at each other briefly.

"I'm, uh" Warren paused for a moment and tilted his head to look at Xavier. "Just visiting."

"At one o'clock in the morning?!"

"I got the times wrong."

Rogue stared past him. "Is that Mesmero and the Acolytes standin' in our foyer? With the annoying Cajun one stealing the silver plate?"

Gambit hastily put down the plate as Erik glared at him, and tried to look innocent. Erik sighed and looked at Xavier. 

"The Acolytes? No you must be still half-asleep," he said casually. "Why don't I help you back to the infirmary?"

"But... but..."

"No please," Warren interjected. "It's my fault for waking you, let me help you."

"_I'm_ helping her," Erik snarled.

Warren blinked in surprise. Then Rogue took the decision out of their hands by collapsing in a dead faint.

"Okay, let the Doctor through," McCoy shouldered both men aside and picked Rogue up carefully, making sure not to touch her bare skin. He glared at Erik and Warren. "Well, I hope you're both satisfied."

Erik and Warren looked guilty. 

After Beast had left, Xavier ordered all of the New Mutants back to bed, and called the X-Men and the Acolytes into his study. Erik came in last, propelling Mesmero's cage along with him.

"Now," said Xavier, wheeling up to the cage. "I believe it's time for some answers."

The X-Men watched in nervous anticipation as Xavier probed Mesmero's mind. Finally Xavier sank back in his chair, sweat beading his forehead. "The spider-stone, the second half, is in the Tisdale Museum in London."

"London, _England_?!" Kitty exclaimed.

"Yes. Together both halves form a key that will help unleash the most powerful mutant in the world: En Sabah Nur, known as Apocalypse."

"Well there's a friendly name," Kurt whispered to Evan.

"So could this be a second key to match the one formed by the rings Mesmero had us steal?" Jean asked.

"I believe so," Xavier replied. "But it's hard to get much information. His mind is very powerful." He rubbed his forehead. "I will try again in the morning. Scott, make sure that Mesmero is placed somewhere safe."

"Yes Professor," Scott said enthusiastically. 

"Erik, settle your people in for the night. We will discuss this further later today. For now, we should all get some rest."

"Yes Professor," Erik replied just as enthusiastically. Scott glared at him, hearing the sarcastic undertone. Pyro and Gambit sniggered.

**

"What do you mean he's _gone_?" Erik yelled. "Where did you put him, the closet?"

"No, I put him in the Danger Room!" Scott yelled defensively. "I didn't think anyone could get out of there without the proper codes!"

"Well obviously _one_ person could!" Erik swore. "AND he took the stone."

"Well, at least we know where he's going," Pyro pointed out, munching casually on a muffin.

Scott glowered at the Australian. He was already furious that Mesmero had escaped, to have Magneto's Acolytes lounging around the dining room as if they'd been there forever only made him feel worse.

"There's no point assigning blame," said Hank reasonably. "Our next step is to decide what to do now."

"Go to London, of course!" said Jean. "That's where the other half is, so he's bound to be heading in that direction."

"Quite correct, Jean," Xavier entered the dining room. "We have no time to waste, I will take a team with me to stop Mesmero from achieving his goal."

"I will be coming," said Erik, in a tone that held no room for argument. "And the Acolytes."

Scott started to object, but Xavier held up his hand. "Very well. We don't know if Mesmero has acquired any other resources, so a fighting force would be a reasonable precaution. Jean and Scott, you will also accompany us, as will you, Hank. Your scholarly expertise may be required."

Jean and Scott glanced at each other. Going on a mission with the Acolytes was not a prospect that filled them with great joy. However, they kept their objections to themselves and nodded. 

"Aw man, don't we get to go?" Evan complained.

Kitty elbowed him. "I don't think this is open for negotiation, Ev," she said in resignation. 

Xavier glanced in their direction. "You three will be responsible for looking after Rogue and ensuring that the New Mutants do not get out of hand."

Kurt slumped in his chair. "Oh that's harsh! Don't you have a suicide mission we could go on instead?"

Gambit threw the newspaper he had been reading on the table and stretched. "At last, some action!" 

Warren cleared his throat. "Do you need my help?"

"Thank you for the offer, Warren, but I think we should be fine," Xavier smiled. "Feel free to stay here as long as you wish. We will return your artefact."

Warren smiled wryly. "Thank you, but please don't worry if you have to destroy it. I have quite a few relics lying around, I'm sure my father wouldn't miss this one too much."

**

Kurt bamfed into the infirmary and found his sister lying in her bed, a pensive expression on her face. 

"What's up, Rogue?" he asked, sitting on the end of the bed.

She blinked and focused on him. "Oh, hi Kurt nothing's wrong," she shrugged. "Ah was just thinking," she sighed. "Hey, did Ah have a crazy dream or did Erik bring the Acolytes, Mesmero and Angel back to the mansion last night?"

"Uh Angel showed up on his own, but, yes, to the others," Kurt fidgeted. "I think the Professor didn't want you to worry, so he didn't say anything, but since he's taken Jean, Scott, Erik and the Acolytes to London"

"What?" Rogue's eyes widened. "London? Erik didn't come and tell me!"

Kurt reached out to pat her shoulder reassuringly but she flinched back. He hesitated, hand still outstretched. 

"I'm sorry," she said, looking away. "Ah didn't mean it"

"It's okay," Kurt said, putting his hand down. "I thought you were kinda okay with people now though."

"Ah just don't want to hurt anyone," she said, twisting a thick strand of hair around her finger. 

"But what about your magnetic powers? Wasn't Erik going to teach you how to use that shield thing?"

"Yeah, but" she hesitated. "Kurt, no one knows except the Professor, but Ah might not have those powers anymore."

"Huh?"

"When he drove everyone out of my head the powers went too. Zaladane was erased as well and Ah don't know if Ah still have her powers permanently Ah started to try and move something yesterday but my head ached so bad Ah had to stop before Ah could really know or not. The Professor told me to take it slow, but" she shrugged helplessly.

"Oh, I see but if Zaladane is still unconscious"

"She's in stasis, like Juggernaut, and no one wants to release her for obvious reasons."

"Yeah, I see your point," Kurt sighed. "That's rough, sis. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Rogue said, although it was clear from her tone that she wasn't really okay. "Ah just we never knew if Ah had her powers permanently, but Ah guess Ah got used to having them and thinking that Ah could have some sort of normal life to touch"

"You've certainly been happier," Kurt grinned. "It was a little unnerving at first, but I quite like seeing you laugh more and be more open with us. I know Erik has a lot to do with it"

"He does not," Rogue blushed.

"That's denial talking," Kurt said sternly. "I'm your brother, I see it, I KNOW what you're feeling. I feel the same about Amanda."

Rogue glared at him, but then cracked under his steady gaze and blushed more. "Ah guess he does have something to do with my mood," she admitted, dropping her gaze and plucking at her bedding. "It's weird being so happy though. You think it was unnerving for you? Ah kept wondering if Ah was possessed!"

"Hey, maybe this happy you is the real you," Kurt suggested. "You know, the person you should've been if..."

"If Ah wasn't a mutant?" Rogue made a face. "Ah don't know..."

"Were you happy as a child?"

Rogue thought about it. "Ah guess, no yes, Ah was," she frowned. "Ah remember being happy with Irene and... Mama..."

"Now, now," Kurt said hastily, seeing the dark mood descend on Rogue. "We're not talking about _her_, we're talking about _you_. The happy you," he reached out again and patted her shoulder. "And I'm glad that you're happy."

This time Rogue didn't flinch and grinned at him. "Thanks, little brother."

"Achem, am I interrupting?" Warren's voice broke in on the moment.

Rogue glanced up and her eyebrows shot up when she saw the huge bunch of flowers Warren was carrying. "Uh, no Kurt and Ah were just talking. Um, are those for me?"

"Wow!" Kurt goggled. "That's got to be the biggest bouquet I've ever seen!"

"Are you allowed flowers?" Warren asked anxiously. "No one could tell me, so I assumed it was all right."

"Ah guess it is, umm" Rogue looked around. "Kurt, could you get a vase or something?"

"Sure!" Kurt made a mock salute and bamfed away.

Warren coughed slightly in the aftermath of Kurt's teleportation and smiled at Rogue. "I'm sorry that you're not feeling very well," he said, taking a seat by her bed.

"Um, yeah, Ah had a bit of power surge," Rogue said, watching as he adjusted his wings and balanced the bouquet awkwardly in his arms. "But Ah'm feeling better. Uh, how're you?"

"Oh, fine, fine. Had a bit of a busy night, thieves and mind controllers, that sort of thing."

"Oh. But you're okay?"

"Fine, not a scratch on me. Maybe a couple of bruises, but no scratches."

Rogue smiled. "Ah'm glad. You really didn't have to go getting me flowers you know."

"Well you know how it is; a girl gets sick, you buy her flowers." Warren smiled charmingly causing Rogue to let out a nervous giggle.

An awkward silence fell.

"So, Magneto's living here, huh," Warren said. "How did that happen?"

"It's kind of a long story"

**

Outside the Tisdale Museum, three metal spheres touched down. Erik floated down next to them, and opened them with a wave of his hand. Another wave reduced the front doors to so much debris.

"Get in there and check the place out," he ordered. "Secure the perimeter and keep an eye out for Mesmero. Move!"

Wrapping his cloak around him more firmly to keep out the cold, he advanced into the Museum. 

Five minutes later, the X-copter landed.

"Oh that was subtle," Cyclops said as he viewed the damage. "No one will _ever_ guess that someone broke in now."

Xavier frowned. "I cannot contact Erik."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't hear him telepathically."

"Do you think something's happened to him?" Jean asked.

"I don't know. The only time's I can't contact Erik telepathically are when he's wearing his helmet, which is specially designed to protect him from mental attacks."

"Didn't Erik put his helmet on just before he left?" Beast commented. 

"He's probably still wearing it," Xavier sighed. "Very well. The three of you go inside and see if you can catch up with the Acolytes. I will remain out here and monitor the situation."

"Yes sir!" They chorused, before entering the building.

Xavier rubbed his forehead. *Erik, what are you thinking?*

**

Erik floated down the corridor, searching for Mesmero. *This time he won't get away,* he thought. Warren's accusations and Scott's readiness to believe them still burned in his mind. *After all I've done, they still regard me with suspicion. Charles still wants to keep me under control. Well, old friend, this time I don't need your help and I will solve this little problem alone!*

He paused, hearing the faint sound of hurrying footsteps on the marble floors and a door opening. A grim smile curved his lips. *I have you now!* With a gesture, Erik forced an elevator from its mooring and sent it after Mesmero. He floated after it and was rewarded by a cry of alarm from the hypnotist. Another couple of gestures and Mesmero was deposited inside the elevator, which Erik crushed around the man, effectively trapping him. Passing the elevator, Erik reached for the dropped spider-stone half, but before he could grasp it, the stone floated up into the air and arrowed towards its other half. 

"No!" Erik stretched out his power, trying to prevent the stones from joining. His efforts failed and the stones joined with a ringing sound and a flash of light that sent him reeling back, almost blinded. When he could see properly again, Erik found himself staring at a huge glowing green spider. He gaped for only a moment before gritting his teeth and reaching out with his power. The spider ignored him and turned, scuttling towards the window. 

"Ngh" Erik was dragged along as he pulled back at the spider with all his power. 

For a brief moment the spider halted, but then it ploughed on, snapping free of Erik's grip and bursting through the window. Gasping, Erik hauled himself upright and stood, looking down as the spider dropped to the ground and made its way towards the centre of London. 

**

Xavier ducked and wheeled back as glass rained down around him. When he looked up, he saw a huge green spider had dropped to the ground and was moving away. He glanced up and saw Erik standing amongst the ruins of the window, his cloak flowing gently in the night breeze. Their eyes met briefly and then Erik turned away before Xavier could call up to him. Quickly Xavier contacted the X-Men inside the museum, informing them of the situation.

**

"What's going on?" Gambit demanded as Erik stormed towards them. "What was that thing?" 

"The spiderstone halves came together and created that thing," Erik snarled. "I don't care what it takes, destroy it!"

The Acolytes nodded and ran past the X-Men approaching down the corridor.

"Erik!" Jean yelled. "The Professor said we have to capture it!"

"I won't let that thing become a threat. This is one key that will not be unlocking _any_ doors," Erik said grimly, and flew after the Acolytes.

"Take off your helmet!" Scott yelled after him. "Damn."

The X-Men exited the Museum and paused by Xavier. "That spiderstone possesses answers we need," he told them. "I will go after Mesmero. You must prevent Erik from destroying the spider."

The X-Men nodded and took off after Erik and the Acolytes. They were easy to follow thanks to the trail of destruction they had left in their wake. Unfortunately, by the time the X-Men managed to catch up, Gambit had just plowed a double-decker bus into the spider, and blown the bus up.

"I think that's going to hold it," he said, grinning.

"Just long enough," Erik said, stalking closer to the spider, which was struggling to free itself.

"Stop!" Beast yelled. "We have to capture it!"

Erik ignored him and began to concentrate all of the powers at his command upon the spider. 

"Don't do it Erik! Don't destroy it!" Xavier yelled. However, Erik could not hear him over the rush of power. 

*I must destroy this thing,* Erik thought. *I won't let Apocalypse rise and hurt all I care about.*

The pain was intense. He'd never had to focus his power so narrowly, and use so much of it on a single opponent, but he gritted his teeth and forced more power into the creature. The spider screamed, struggled, and then shrank slowly down back to its original form. With a blinding flash of light, Erik completed its destruction, and collapsed onto the ground.

"You've done the very thing Mesmero wanted," Xavier's voice sounded from behind him. 

"No, the key has been destroyed," Erik struggled to his feet, accepting Colossus' help.

"And he knew you had the power to do it. I broke through Mesmero's defences. It was not just a key, it was a guardian, designed to prevent Apocalypse's release. And with its destruction, the second door will now open. He used you Magnus."

Erik's hands clenched. No, it couldn't possibly be true. But the sorrowful look in Xavier's eyes told the truth, and he stared at the ground in despair.

"What have I done?" He whispered.

**

End of Part Six.  



	8. Chapter 7: Confrontation

Part Seven:

**

Water sluiced down the windows of the high-rise, expensive New York apartment known to belong to a reclusive millionaire by the name of Byron Biggs. Inside the dimly lit living room Mystique glowered at the torrential rain and sighed irritably.

"How long do I have to remain here?" she asked turning her head to glare at the room's other occupant.

"Just a few more days," Irene said calmly, unruffled by Mystique's anger. She ran her fingers lightly over the braile book on her lap. "Wolverine and Storm will call off their search soon."

"I don't even know why I'm bothering to hide like this," Mystique raged. "Wolverine can't scent me any longer, they wouldn't be able to find me."

"Do you no longer trust my predictions, Raven? I told you that if you"

"Leave this place they will find me, yes, Irene, I know," Mystique turned away from the window and stared to pace. "It's a good thing I developed this identity years ago" she muttered.

"Really, Raven, you only have yourself to blame," Irene shut her book, blind eyes turning to her friend. "I warned you that posing as Rogue's friend could end badly."

Mystique scowled. "You weren't very specific," she accused and Irene shrugged.

"It's hard, I'm not sure why, but I cannot see your, and Rogue's, path clearly," Irene smiled slightly. "Perhaps I care about you both too much."

Mystique was silent for a moment and then burst out with another question that had been on her mind for days. "What of this powerful mutant, Apocalypse, that you say will have a hand in our destiny?"

Another shrug. "Again, I cannot clearly see what will happen," Irene replied. "All I know is that he will rise and he will affect you and Rogue in some way. Very soon you will have to make a choice to secure your futures."

"And that choice is?"

"I do not know."

Mystique gritted her teeth. "Oh, _that's _helpful."

**

There was a subdued silence on the X-copter as all the occupants dwelt on the night's events. Sitting behind Beast, who was piloting, Scott kept twisting round to randomly glare at the Acolytes and most specifically at Erik. Beside him, Jean laid a hand on his arm, keeping him in his seat when the urge to jump up and harangue Erik swept over him. However, Erik probably wouldn't have noticed if Scott was jumping up and down in front of him. The Master of Magnetism had lapsed into a grim brooding silence ever since they left London. He sat, holding his helmet in his hands and staring unseeing at it. Behind him sat the Acolytes, trying not to fidget too much and wearing slightly confused expressions. 

//Are you ready to talk about it now, Erik?//

Erik's head jerked up and he stared in Xavier's direction, then his eyes narrowed.

//What is there to talk about, Charles?//

//Oh, the imminent danger we face, what steps we need to take, and your behaviour this evening.//

Erik winced. He _really_ wasn't in the mood for that.

//Would it help if I said I was sorry?//

//_Are_ you sorry?//

//I am sorry that it didn't work out.//

Xavier sighed, causing Beast to glance at him. //You are the most stubborn man I have ever known.//

//Likewise.// Erik exhaled in resignation. //Rather than chew over what happened, shouldn't we be planning how to prevent Mesmero from acquiring the final key?//

//Of course,// Xavier replied smoothly. //Do you have any suggestions?//

//Send a team to investigate all known references to Apocalypse. I know you are uncomfortable with my Acolytes staying at the mansion, so why not send them? They're not completely stupid, and Gambit is extremely skilled at finding things out.//

//An excellent suggestion.//

//And, since I'm sure you're disappointed with my recent behaviour, I can accompany them if you like.//

//Don't be ridiculous Erik, you know you are welcome to stay with us as long as you like.//

Erik's eyebrows shot up.

//After all, now, more than ever, we need to work together in the spirit of mutant cooperation.//

//Oh shut up Charles.// Erik slumped sulkily in his chair. //You just want to keep an eye on me.//

//That too.//

**

Rogue's eyes were slightly gazed as the torture continued. 

"This has been such a life-changing experience for me!" gushed the perky blonde. "I'm so happy to be here, and thrilled to be a part of this wonderful group."

"Where'd they put the barf bag?" Rogue wondered out loud.

"Are you feeling ill again?" Erik asked from the doorway.

"Erik!" Rogue surged up slightly. "Come in, come in!"

Erik quirked an eyebrow at her enthusiastic greeting. "You missed me that much?"

"No, Ah can only get one channel on this TV and they've been showing the last 3 episodes of The Bachelor back-to-back. Ah'm going mad. Turn that stupid thing off and sit down and _talk_ to me."

"With pleasure," Erik suited words to action, before settling down on the bed beside Rogue. "How are you fee" he spotted the large bouquet of flowers. "Those are nice."

"Yeah, they are, aren't they?" Rogue grinned.

Erik narrowed his eyes. "From Kurt?"

"No, Warren."

"Oh _really_?"

"Yeah, he was real sweet. Came to see me, gave me the flowers and chatted."

"How nice." Erik hoped Rogue couldn't hear him grinding his teeth. "I brought you something too."

"You did?"

He fished a small object out of a pocket. "Here you go."

Rogue blinked. "A key ring?"

"It's from the Tisdale Museum."

"You brought me a key ring." She frowned. "Hey wait a minute, weren't you on a mission? When did you have time to go souvenir shopping?"

"Uh," Erik looked guilty. "Actually, the Museum was closed, and we had to break in. During the whole fiasco, Gambit somehow acquired it."

"You're giving me a _stolen_ key ring?!"

"But at least I'm not the one who stole it."

"No! Your evil minions stole it. Not impressed!"

"Well by the time I knew he'd taken it we were halfway back. What did you expect me to do? And I thought you might like it."

Rogue sighed. "Well it was nice of you to think of me," she said, fiddling with the key ring. "So, why do you call it a fiasco?"

Erik coughed. "Um, I, uh, well, this is sort of what happened"

Rogue's eyes got wider and wider as Erik described the mission in detail, and the result.

"It's the helmet, right?" she asked when he'd finished. "It's something about that bucket that makes you go all psycho. It's not radioactive or anything is it?"

"I thought I was doing the right thing," Erik said stiffly. "I feel bad enough about this, without you making allegations about my helmet."

"So do the others know yet?"

"Charles is briefing them right now," Erik shifted uncomfortably. "I, uh, wanted you to hear it from me first."

Rogue's glare softened. "Ah appreciate that." She laid a hand on his arm. "You know, we all make mistakes."

"But this one may cost us dearly."

**

The days wore on and no news of Mesmero was heard. The Acolytes continued to search for information or news of his whereabouts, with the help of Warren Worthington. Beast spent every waking moment researching the legends of En Sabah Nur, with the assistance of the other teachers. All offers by the students to help were politely turned down, Xavier finally explaining that there was relatively little they could do at this stage. 

The only excitement was caused by the attacks of a young mutant girl with adamantium bones and an unwarranted grudge against Wolverine. In one night she laid out over half of the Institute, only being stopped when she attempted to attack Erik. He would have dealt with her himself, but was stopped by Wolverine who eventually managed to calm the girl down and helped her get free of her pursuers. The downside of this attack was that Rogue, who had begun to feel better, ended up back down in the infirmary after having absorbed Scott and Ray's powers and memories inadvertently.

Rogue sighed as she lay in bed again. She was heartily sick of the infirmary, but it did have one major advantage: no training sessions with Wolverine.

"How are you feeling today?" Professor Xavier smiled at her.

"Better," she admitted. "Not quite up to full strength, but better."

Xavier paused briefly. "Rogue, I was wondering if you had tried to use your magnetic powers since the original accident."

Rogue tensed. "No. No, not really."

"That's alright," Xavier said calmly. "Take your time, and rejoin us when you're ready."

"Are you _still_ lazing around down here?" Erik said from behind him. 

"Erik!"

He sighed. "Come on lazybones. At this rate your muscles will atrophy and you'll turn into a female Blob."

"ARE YOU SAYING AH'M FAT??!!"

"Of course not." He brushed past Xavier, who was staring at him in shock, and scooped Rogue out of the bed. "Come on, it's a beautiful day out there, why don't you go and see Wanda. You've missed a lot of school you know, she might be able to help you catch up."

"Ah hate you! Put me down, put me down, PUT ME DOWN!" Rogue kicked her feet and punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow! Well, you seem healthy enough to _me_," he said. "Excuse us, Charles. Behave Rogue, or I'll just sling you over a shoulder."

"You wouldn't!"

"I'm Magneto, Master of Magnetism and the ultimate evil mutant. Of course I would."

Rogue choked. "Scumbag," she finally managed.

"Yes dear."

Rogue started to giggle as he carried her up the stairs. "Oh all right, but at least let me walk."

"Why? I'm rather enjoying this."

"ERIK! Erik, don't carry me outside, everyone's going to look at us!"

"So?"

"It's _embarrassing_. And Ah'm still in mah pyjamas!"

"And very fetching they are too." Erik grinned at her, an evil glint in his eyes. "Consider it revenge for all the times you teased _me_."

"Ah don't have any gloves on! Ah don't have any _shoes_ on!"

"I guess I'll just have to keep carrying you then."

"ERIK!"

Outside, the older X-Men were watching the New Mutants play mutant basketball, one of the most destructive sports in the known world, when their attention was attracted by an indignant yell.

"That sounded like Rogue," Kitty said, twisting around. "Oh my GOD!"

"What?" Kurt stared. "What is he doing with my sister?"

"Good morning everybody," Erik said casually, walking up to them. "Mind if we join you?"

Kitty giggled. "Go right ahead."

"Kurt!" Rogue begged. "Rescue me from this jerk!"

Kurt smirked. "Oh but I wouldn't want to interfere in my big sister's personal life."

"You all suck," Rogue snarled as Erik gently set her down on the benches next to Kitty. 

"So, who's winning?" Erik asked Evan.

"Sam's team is ahead on points, but Ray's is ahead on style."

"They shouldn't be playing like this at all," Scott grumbled. 

"Oh lighten up," Kurt said. "Look it at this way, if they exhaust themselves on the courts now, they'll be too tired to pull anything during dinner."

"You have a very good point there."

"See, isn't this nice?" Erik asked Rogue.

"Ah still hate you."

Jean approached the benches, carrying some drinks. "I brought the... Rogue, what are you doing outside in your pyjamas?"

"Sleep walking," Rogue said snarkily. 

"There's no need to be like that," Jean snapped back. "I was just asking a question."

Rogue glared and shut up, surreptitiously trying to tidy her hair at the same time. Jean, of course, looked perfect. 

For a while they concentrated on the game, until a time out was called after a particularly destructive foul. 

"So Rogue, are you feeling better now," Jean asked, trying to defuse the tension.

"Yeah, Ah guess so," Rogue said. 

"Do you still have your magnetic powers?"

Rogue scowled and the others flinched. No one had dared ask before now.

"I don't know."

"You haven't tried?"

"In case it's escaped your notice, _Ms_ Grey, Ah've been in the infirmary, and in no condition to go around straining anything."

"Rogue, I'm only asking because we need to know if we can rely on you in a fight," Jean explained in a patient tone of voice.

"You can ALWAYS rely on me in a fight," Rogue snapped back. "But Ah don't have to tell you everything about mah life."

"But things like this are important," Jean insisted. "For example, if you'd told us when your powers started going crazy, we could have helped."

"You mean like _you_ did?"

"Oooooh, burned," muttered Kitty.

"Sssh! Don't draw attention," Kurt hissed.

"Professor Xavier and I _did_ discuss it!" Jean said defensively. "It wasn't my fault. I'm just amazed you didn't notice anything odd before the concert. When my powers started evolving, I kept hearing people's voices in my head and moving things without realising it." 

Rogue fidgeted and then admitted it. "Ah did sort of notice it, but Ah thought it would go away."

"You thought it would go AWAY! That's so stupid! I just don't understand why you didn't tell us," Jean pressed further, her long-privately-held annoyance with Rogue beginning to surface. "We're your teammates! We're your friends! You should always tell us when something's going strange with your power. At least to Professor Xavier! Or do you only tell _Erik_ important things these days?"

"Erik's my friend!" Rogue shot back. "Of course Ah talk to him!"

"Uh," Erik tried to interrupt.

"Is he more important than us?" Jean asked loudly. "You spend all of your time with him! You practically never even talk to the rest of us anymore."

"She talks to me!" Kurt interjected, but was unheard.

"Ah do _too_ talk to you. Ah just don't jabber on and on and ON about stupid boring things like soccer and debating! And Ah like spending time with him because he's my friend and Ah enjoy his company!" Rogue screamed back.

"More than you like hanging out with us?" Jean demanded, hanging on to the last shreds of her temper.

"YES!"

For the first time in X-Men history, Jean Grey lost her temper. "You ungrateful brat!" she screamed, the cry drawing the attention of the New Mutants. "We've been your friends for years and stood by you through everything ­ even when you were with the BROTHERHOOD! What's so great about him? How can you throw us all over for a guy?

"Jean!" Scott tried to intervene. "Rogue! Both of you! Calm down and let's discuss this like adults!"

"This is nothing to do with Erik!" Rogue screeched, ignoring Scott completely.

"YES IT IS!" Jean screamed back. "You haven't been the same since he came here! You let him get close to you ­ you never let the rest of us get near you! I've TRIED to be your friend..."

"Oh, THANKS for the great honour your grace," Rogue spat. "What makes you think I WANT to be friends with YOU?"

"You've NEVER liked me, have you?" Jean demanded. "It's because you're jealous!"

"JEALOUS!" Everyone winced at Rogue's scream. "Of YOU?!! Why would I want to be a stuck-up, manipulating, bimbo PRINCESS PRIMA DONNA!"

"Maybe because it's better than being a WEIRDO OUTCAST WANNA-BE GOTH!"

The benches rattled. 

Clearing his throat, Scott decided once more to try and intervene before things went any further. A hand came down on his shoulder. 

"Much as I'd find it amusing to watch them beat you up," Erik said quietly into one of his ears. "They're so angry they'd probably kill you if you tried to interfere right now, so I'd suggest shutting up and hoping they don't notice you."

Scott shut up.

Jean and Rogue continued to scream at each other, as the assembled X-Men and New Mutants watched in horror.

"How could you possibly understand, Miss Perfect?" Rogue screamed. "You'll NEVER have my problems! You want us to get _closer_? Do you have ANY idea what that means? Do you WANT me to drain you like Ah drained Zaladane! Ah don't! Ah've had enough people in my head! Ah _can't_ get close to ANYONE, EVER! Can't touch, can't hold, can't kiss, can't have a relationship! Yes, Erik can touch me, and Ah'd be lying if Ah said that wasn't a factor in my interest in him. But what other options do Ah have? Standing outside the window watching you and Scott making eyes at each other?"

"Scott and I are just friends!" Jean shouted. "And there's no reason to think that someday we might find a way for you to..."

"SOME DAY??? When will that be exactly?" Rogue demanded. "Next week, next year, NEVER?!! No one's worked out how my powers work yet. Not Mystique, not the Professor, not YOU! Maybe there ISN'T any way to turn them off, maybe Ah'll NEVER know another humans touch. It's easy to be optimistic when you already HAVE everything you want, AND MORE! You may SAY that you and Scott are just friends, but we've ALL seen the way you look at each other. And if you REALLY aren't interested, then cut him loose and quit acting like a jealous cat every time someone ELSE tries to show an interest in him!"

"YOU LEAVE SCOTT OUT OF THIS!" Jean yelled. "This is about ERIK!"

"YOU LEAVE _ERIK_ OUT OF THIS!" Rogue yelled back. "This is about US! All the time Ah've been here Ah've had to watch YOU get all the attention and all the praise. 'Jean's so perfect, Jean's so wonderful. Rogue, why can't you be more like Jean?'"

"It's not LIKE that," Jean defended. "If YOU would just make a little effort to try and fit in more..."

"You mean be more like you!"

"That's not what I'm saying!"

"THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING!" Rogue screeched, her voice cracking on the last syllable. 

"You're just being stubborn!" Jean shouted. 

"And you're being deliberately blind!" Rogue shot back. "You just won't _listen_!"

Jean struggled with herself. "I've had enough of this," she said, making an effort to speak normally. "There's clearly no talking to you right now." She turned on her heel and began to walk away from the benches.

Rogue trembled with rage. "That's right," she spat back. "Just ignore Rogue, she's being irrational. Not like _Jean_." There was so much venom in her tone that the name came out like a curse. "Because the sun would fall out of the sky before Jean was wrong. Well the hell with you!" She turned on her heel and headed for the gardens. 

"Rogue..." Kurt looked after his sister.

"I'll go," Erik said hurriedly, and sprinted after her.

The other X-Men looked at each other. "Should we go after Jean then?" Kitty asked nervously.

"I'll do it..." Scott began.

//That's alright Scott,// the Professor's voice echoed in their minds. //I need to discuss this with Jean. The rest of you, get some rest.//

"Yeah, sure, cos that'll be easy," Kitty muttered as the Professor's mental presence left. "Nothing to see here folks, just move along."

**

Stomping up the back steps, Jean barely heard the Professor. //Jean, could you come to my office please?//

Jean altered her direction and went to the Professor's office door. Pausing outside it, she took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "You... wanted to see me Professor?" She said, trying to appear normal, as she entered the room.

"Please take a seat," Professor Xavier watched her come in and sit down.

"I... I take it you heard the... argument," Jean said, a blush coming to her face as she remembered how she'd been screaming.

"I don't think there's anyone in Bayville who _missed_ it," Xavier said dryly. "Allow me to congratulate you on a very strong pair of lungs."

"It's all the sports," Jean said lamely, wiping at the tears that began to pour down her cheeks. "I. I guess I didn't handle it very well did I?" She managed to get out, before bursting into tears.

Xavier waited for her to bring herself under control again. "Have a glass of water Jean," he said gently. "There's a carafe on the sideboard."

Jean gratefully soothed her burning throat with the ice cold water, and tried to regain her poise.

"Jean, do you know why you're so upset?" Xavier's voice was very gentle.

She shook her head mutely.

"It's not because you lost your temper," he said, "it's because you have a suspicion that some of the things that Rogue said to you are true."

"So are some of the things I said to her!" Jean defended herself, before stopping suddenly, exhausted from her earlier fight. "Sorry Professor."

"It's alright Jean," Xavier sighed. "I should be the one apologising. I should have spent more time trying to avert this event, although I doubt I could have."

Jean stared at him, and he chuckled lightly. "Oh Jean," he said, "you and Rogue have been on a collision course since you first met. Despite your differences, you're both so similar in some ways, most notably in the way you both bottle up your true feelings inside. It was inevitable that someday something would happen to finally cause those feelings to explode, it was just fortunate that it happened at home and not in a combat situation."

Jean sat down again, staring at him blankly. "You mean, you KNEW we'd fight?" Her voice was incredulous. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Some things are inevitable," Xavier said. "You're both very strong-willed young women living in a stressful environment with some repressed emotions and a lot of personality conflicts. Of course you were going to clash eventually. But now that you've both finally gotten those opinions and feelings out into the open, you can get to work on trying to deal with them. There was nothing I could do before both of you said out loud what the problem was. It's rather like lancing a boil, I'm afraid. Painful, and it may leave a scar, but necessary all the same."

"I don't understand," Jean said, staring at her hands. "We said such terrible things to each other."

Xavier sighed. "And they were all the more painful because they were true, if somewhat exaggerated. You have a naturally high sense of ambition and a demand for excellence. Failing to connect with Rogue was a terrible irritation to you, all the more so because you couldn't understand why not. Rogue sees you as being the person who has everything that she wants, and can't have, so she naturally resents you for that. Add to the fact that you're both so different in tastes and styles, and that for a while you both, er, had an interest in the same man..."

Jean went red, but didn't interrupt.

"And the conflict was, as I said, inevitable," Xavier concluded. "And now it's happened, and we all must deal with the aftermath."

Jean wouldn't meet his eyes. "I'm so ashamed," she admitted. "I can't believe I lost it like that."

"Let it go Jean," Xavier counselled her. "The best thing you can do now is to try and deal with the results of the fight. Both you and Rogue have legitimate complaints against each other, and the only way you can deal with them is by talking it out. You've opened up a dialogue tonight. Rather loudly admittedly, but the first step to dealing with a problem is by admitting that there IS one. Now you know it's there, it's up to you to fix it. I know you won't let me down."

Jean stood up, and hesitated. "What about Erik?"

"Erik is not relevant to this," Xavier said firmly. "He is still a member of the X-Men, and I expect you all to treat him as one."

"Yes Professor," Jean said humbly. She left the room, intending to go and find Rogue and apologise.

As the door closed, the Professor sighed. *Erik, I hope you justify my faith in you tonight,* he thought, staring out the window. *And I hope your feelings for Rogue are as strong as I think they are, because they're the only thing that can prevent her from making a terrible mistake.*

*Even if it does mean the end of your relationship.*

**

Rogue stormed along, Erik following her. Finally he caught up with her, in a private part of the garden.

"Ah can't believe that cow," Rogue spat venomously. "Where does she get off? Who the hell does she think she is? Sanctimonious Princess Perfect! Nothing ever goes wrong in HER beautiful life does it? Nooo, everything's always perfect for Jean Grey, it's alright for Jean, perfect, perfect Jean." She sniffed and dashed her hand across her eyes to wipe away the tears. "Well, Ah don't need her OR her prissy life and stupid boyfriends."

Erik felt that they had finally reached a safe point at which to make a comment. "That's right Rogue," he said tentatively. "You're fine just the way you are."

"Damn right Ah am! We don't need her! We don't need any of them!" Rogue's tone was defiant, but she was watching Erik nervously out of the corner of her eyes. She turned to face him and clasped her hands together anxiously. "Do we?" She asked, biting her lip. "Erik?"

"What do you mean by that Rogue?" Erik asked carefully.

"Ah mean, we... we could go away. Leave all of them. Together," Rogue reached up with one hand and stroked the side of his face. "You... you could go back to your secret headquarters, wherever they are, and... and Ah could come with you. Ah could be an Acolyte, and we could be together." Her other hand reached out to caress his chest and she slowly leaned in closer to him, tilting her head upwards and sliding the hand on his chest around to bring him closer to her. "It could be... nice together," she barely whispered.

Erik kept himself perfectly still as Rogue pressed herself against him. Taking that as acceptance, Rogue slid the hand she'd been using to caress his face around to the back of his head and began to bring his lips down to meet hers.

Erik hovered for what felt like a lifetime above her face as hormones surged through his body and let him know in no uncertain terms what they wanted to happen next. And wasn't this what he'd always wanted, he thought to himself, wasn't this his dream? He could have it all: be the Master of Magnetism again, get away from the whole stupid school situation and his annoying offspring, and go back to what he truly believed in ­ mutant supremacy. And he could do it all without giving up Rogue. He could have her too. One of the most powerful mutants of this generation on his team, by his side, in his bed... 

"No!" Erik jerked backwards out of Rogue's grip. "No," he repeated again. "Rogue, this isn't right."

Rogue was shocked. "What... what do you mean?" She didn't understand it, he'd definitely responded to her then, why was he doing this?

"I can't do this. I... I just can't." Erik fumbled for words. "It's not right. You don't really mean any of this. You're upset and angry and you don't know what you're saying."

"Ah DO know what Ah'm..."

"NO YOU DON'T!" Erik shouted. "Rogue, you're still young, so very young, and I don't want you to throw everything away because of me. You have your whole life ahead of you."

"My LIFE?!" Rogue shrieked. "What kind of like do Ah have to look forward to? Always on the outside, twice cursed by mutanthood, AH HAVE NO LIFE!"

"Yes you do," Erik said. "You're beautiful and intelligent and powerful and you have so much potential it scares me. But right now you're angry and hurting and you just want to hurt them all back, and if we leave now and you join me they'll never trust you again and you'll never be able to come back. And you'll want to ­ you don't believe in the Cause and you _certainly_ don't believe that I'm right about it! But you'll be trapped in a life you didn't really want and you'll hate me for it and you'll hate _yourself_ for it. Rogue, I _can't_ accept your offer."

Silence fell after he'd finished. Rogue stared at him with huge eyes, filling with tears.

"I'm sorry," Erik said lamely. "I wish I could, but I can't."

Without a word, Rogue turned on her heel and fled back towards the mansion.

**

Professor Xavier's words still ringing in her ears, Jean was the first to spot Rogue as she nearly threw herself through the front door. 

"Rogue! Please wait, I wanted to apologi..."

Rogue paused and stared at her. Jean was taken aback by how pale and strained she looked. "Are you okay? Are you having a relapse?"

"He doesn't love me," Rogue said very tightly, through gritted teeth. "Ah went to him and he said no! He thinks Ah'm just a kid and he doesn't love me!" She gripped Jean's arm.

"Oh boy," Jean said, wincing as Rogue's grip tightened. Rogue was so upset that her thoughts were yelling loudly enough to penetrate Jean's shielding, and the redhead had no trouble grasping the situation. "There, there Rogue, it's gonna be alright," she tried to soothe the distraught girl.

"What's going on?" Kurt teleported into the foyer. "Rogue? What is...?"

"Kurt, OUT!" Jean said firmly. "Go tell Kitty to come here, and then tell everyone else to stay out of the foyer!"

"But what's happened?"

"GO! _Now_."

*BAMF!* 

Jean led Rogue over to the sofa against the wall, and sat down with her, carefully making sure her hands didn't come into contact with Rogue's bare skin. Rogue let out a hiccup and silent tears began to trickle down her face.  
  
A few minutes later, Kitty ran through the closed door. "What's wrong?" She asked. 

Rogue let out a particularly loud sob. 

"Erik turned Rogue down," Jean said. 

"What? Oh. Oooohhhhhh..." Kitty said as comprehension dawned. "Uh, why don't we go upstairs to our room? I'll tell the other girls, and they'll bring the ice cream."

"He hates me," Rogue whispered.

"LOTS of ice cream," Kitty said. "Meet you up there in five."

"Invite Wanda," Rogue sniffed. "I need to be mean about Erik."

"Ah, and you want to call in the expert."

"Just call her already." 

**

"Well, that went well," said Erik to nobody in particular. "Now Rogue hates me too. Why am I here again?"

*BAMF*

"Alright, what did you do?"

Erik sighed. "Oh, hello Kurt."

"Don't hello Kurt me," Kurt waved the ornamental sword he'd grabbed at him menacingly. "What did you do?"

"Can you be more specific? I seem to have done a lot of things lately."

"What did you do to _Rogue_," Kurt enunciated.

"Oh, that." Erik fell silent.

"WELL?!"

"Put it this way Kurt, would you want your sister to leave?"

"No," Kurt looked bewildered. "What are you asking me that for?"

"Because if I had done what she asked me to, I would have taken her away."

"Huh?" Kurt thought about it for a moment and lowered the sword. "Oh. She was _that_ angry?"

"You have no idea."

"Actually I have a pretty good idea," Kurt sighed. "She's scary when she's angry."

Erik slumped down onto the ground and rubbed his forehead. "She now believes I have rejected her advances, which I did, but not in the way that she thinks."

"Can't you have a simple relationship with _anybody_?" Kurt moaned. 

"Obviously not," Erik sighed. "Perhaps I should just leave."

"No! Don't go!" Kurt was shocked. "I thought you liked it here!"

"To some degree I do, but I am sure you would agree I am not the most popular person here."

"What are you talking about? Of course you're popular! Evan and I like you, the New Mutants adore you, Rahne has an amazing crush on you. Sure you fight with Scott and Jean, but so what? Not everyone gets along with everyone. There are days when I want to teleport Roberto into a large cold lake, but that doesn't mean I want him to leave." Kurt said in exasperation. "Trust the fuzzy one. Just because we have to work together in the shared spirit blah blah, doesn't mean we all have to swear undying friendship and promise never to fight in our entire lives. We're only human."

Erik stared at him. "Right"

"You should listen to him, father," a new voice intervened. 

Erik shot to his feet. "Wanda."

"Hello," Wanda walked into the clearing, carrying a very large tub of cookie dough ice cream. "I hear you and Rogue had words earlier."

"Word spreads faster than your brother I see," Erik sighed.

"Well you know, it's these wonderful new inventions they have these days called 'telephones'."

Kurt snickered. "What's the ice cream for?"

"Oh, apparently we're getting together for a bitching session about him," Wanda jerked a thumb in Erik's direction. 

Erik lifted an eyebrow. "Oh great."

"Oh don't worry about it. It'll be good to help Rogue get over her anger and probably forgive you tomorrow."

"Forgive?" Erik was getting exasperated. "I was _trying_ to help her!"

"Yes, but you're a man so you said it the wrong way. It's not your fault. It's the way you guys are."

"Thanks," Kurt and Erik said in sarcastic unison.

Wanda smiled sweetly at the two of them. "Now, if you'll excuse me, this ice cream is starting to melt. I'll see you in the morning, father. And you should stay. I think this place is good for you. It's grown you a conscience." She waved and walked away.

"Alright, _that_ was frightening," Kurt said.

"You're telling _me_?"

Kurt shook himself. "Hey, you know what we should do?"

"I dread to ask."

"We should have a boys night out!"

"What?" 

"Well, the girls are all in with the ice cream and god knows I would not want to get in their way right now, so the boys should all go out and get... root beer." Kurt began pacing around as the idea took further hold. "We can invite the other guys, go to a movie, you could bring Pietro, although if you do we will have to make sure that someone sits on Evan, but if we take Lance then he can take care of it"

"When exactly did all of the teams become one?" Erik asked snidely.

"About two weeks ago. We took a vote. You weren't included." Kurt winked. "Come on, those guys aren't too bad. Except at cleaning. And personal hygiene in reference to Toad. And Blob. Okay, you go get the X-van, and I will make the calls."

"Uh"

Kurt bamfed away before Erik could say another word.

"But I don't have a licence!" Erik cried into the uncaring air. "I can't drive without wait a minute. Yes I can. I'm evil! Sort of. I can drive without a licence. Yeah." 

**

Back at the New York penthouse apartment, Irene started to laugh.

**  


BACK 


	9. Chapter 8: Boy'sGirl's Night Out

**Chapter Eight: A Humourous Interlude **

Disclaimer: All belongs to Marvel. etc, etc, etc. Damn it all. 

Words in //slashes// indicate telepathic conversation. 

Mesmero moved silently through the trees, his eyes darting from side to side, ensuring that no one was trailing him. At last his master had communicated that it was time for the final stage to begin and Mesmero had clear instructions about who he was to contact and what he was to offer her. 

"You're late." 

He halted abruptly and looked up in the direction of the voice. Mystique dropped down from the tree she had been perched on and glared at him. "Well?" she asked. "What do you want? You said you could help me secure my future." 

"And that of your daughter," Mesmero said sibilantly. 

Mystique's eyes narrowed to yellow slits. "Is that so?" 

"My master will reward you and your daughter for your assistance." 

"Is this a threat?" 

"Not a threat, merely a offer." 

"An offer I can't refuse?" 

"You can refuse," Mesmero smiled. "But you would jeopardising your daughter's future happiness." 

Mystique's lip curled. "You're not convincing me," she turned away. 

"And she would finally come back to your side." 

Mystique paused. This was the choice Irene had hinted at. But what was the right decision? Would she really place Rogue in danger if she turned this man down now? Or would Rogue be in greater danger if Mystique accepted? She bit her lip, keeping her face averted as Mesmero repeated his words. The chance to have her daughter back, could she really risk losing it? 

"Very well," Mystique faced Mesmero again, her expression cold. "I will assist you, but be warned _magician_, cross me or hurt Rogue and you will regret it!" 

Mesmero bowed. "I assure you, Mystique, your daughter's safety is my paramount concern. She is very important to my master." 

A chill ran down Mystique's spine and for a brief moment she was prepared to renege on her agreement then and there. But she quelled the thought. She would be with Rogue, keeping her safe and if necessary pulling them both out of the deal. 

"What do I need to do?" 

Mesmero smirked inwardly. "Come with me and I shall explain." 

** 

Erik parked the X-van outside the Brotherhood of Bayville House. "Have I mentioned lately that I don't think this is a good idea?" 

"Only about 20 times in the last 5 minutes. Congratulations! You're ahead of Scott." 

"This is a bad idea." 

"Oooohh, that's 18 for Scott and 20 for Erik." 

Scott and Erik exchanged a glance and turned to glare at Bobby in unison. 

Bobby grinned, totally impervious to his impending doom. 

Scott sighed. "Maybe the Brotherhood won't want to come," he offered feebly. 

"Woooo!!! Road trip! Road trip! Road trip!" Toad bounced excitedly out of the door. "So, next stop New York?" 

"Just Bayville," Erik said coldly. "You know, it's not too late for me to go back to my evil ways and my super-secret hideout." 

"The one on Mt Ereros?" 

"How did you Gambit told you, didn't he? He's got a big mouth for a thief!" 

"Is it true that you can get 130 channels?" 

"Shut up! I am not taking you to my formerly secret hideout." 

Lance ambled over to the car and leaned in through the window. "So, what exactly _are_ we doing anyway?" 

"Have we decided?" The X-Men and New Mutants looked at each other. 

"Well, this was Kurt's suggestion" 

"Vhy are you all looking at me? None of you LIKED my idea." 

"That's because going to ice cream parlours is girly." 

"But I _like_ ice cream!" Kurt sighed. "How about a movie then? There's a really good pirate movie on! I've seen it six times, but I don't mind seeing it again." 

"Nah, seen that one. Besides it's too expensive to go to the movies." 

"Erik's got money. Gambit told me he's got a Swiss bank account." 

"I'm not taking you lot to the movies," Erik said firmly. "Forget it." 

"Well okay then, what did kids used to do in _your_ day for fun?" 

Erik's mind went blank. "Uh, well we... we there may have been swimming in summer. Uh, and the older boys would go to clubs and sporting events." 

"Woooo, big excitement," Bobby mocked. "No wonder you're such a stick in the mud." 

"Yeah, but what's Scott's excuse?" Evan muttered. 

"I HEARD that Evan!" 

At this point Pietro zoomed up. "Are you slowpokes still discussing this? Standing around here is _boring_. Why don't we go and get something to eat and decide _then_." 

Silence. 

"Oh my God, a _sensible_ suggestion from _Pietro_?!" 

"Shut up Evan!" 

"Fine, food it is!" Erik jumped in before an argument could break out. "Where?" 

"Burgers!" The boys all called out in unison. 

Erik twitched. "I thought you wanted _food_, not reprocessed plastic." 

** 

"Insensitive, moronic, stupid, unfeeling, rat bastard!" Rogue ranted. "Heartless monster! Idiotic, stubborn, arrogant, insensitive" 

"You already said insensitive," Wanda interjected. 

"Oooh, here's a good one," Kitty looked up from the thesaurus. "Fascist!" 

There was a long pause. 

"Nooooo" Rogue said slowly. "I don't think I can use that one." 

"Um elitist?" 

"Elitist," Rogue rolled it around on her tongue. "I can work with elitist." 

"Egotistical?" 

"Absolutely! How could I forget egotistical?" 

"Chauvenistic worm?" Tabitha offered. 

"I don't know if we can really describe him as chauvenistic," Rogue thoughtfully took a big bite of cookie dough ice cream. "How about caustic?" 

"Caustic," Kitty looked it up in the dictionary. "Caustic's good." 

"Okay," Rogue took a deep breath. "Elitist, egotistical, caustic worm!" 

"Did _that_ get it out of your system?" Jean asked. 

"For now. Don't put the thesaurus away yet." Rogue sniffed. 

"So" Wanda drawled. "Are you ready to tell us what prompted all of this?" 

Rogue mumbled something. 

"Oh come on Rogue. If he screwed up - _I_ want to know how so that I can torment him about it for the rest of eternity!" 

"Wanda!" 

"Oh get over it Jean," Wanda yawned. "Come on Rogue, talk. What did he do that was so bad? Why did he reject you? God, he's not interested in someone else, is he?" 

"No." 

"Maybe he didn't realise that you were that into him," Amara suggested. "I mean, guys are pretty dim sometimes ­ even if they're really actually supposed to be mature like Erik ­ I mean, he does know that you're really, really interested?" 

"Oh yeah. Ah was pretty" Rogue squirmed, "clear." 

"This isn't giving us much information," Wanda purred. "If you can't tell us, who can you tell? We're your _friends_." 

"It's not _them_," Rogue indicated the other girls. "It's, well, _you_. Ah mean, he _is_ still your father and" 

"Oh please," Wanda scoffed. "I can handle it. I can handle _anything_." 

Rogue blushed, although it was hard to tell under all that makeup. "Well, Ah, Ah Ah told him Ah really liked him and suggested he take me away from all of this, and Ah'd be with him, day and night" 

"EEWWW!!!" Wanda screeched. "Eugh! No! Images I did not want! Bad! BAD! UNCLEAN!!" 

"You said you could handle it!" Rogue shouted. 

"I was wrong! I didn't know you meant _that_. I thought, kissing maybe." 

"Oh they've been there and done that," Kitty snickered. "I guess they're moving on to other things." She leaned forward. "So, how far _have_ you gone?" 

"EW!" Wanda waved her hands. "Shut up! Shut up! I don't want to know!" 

"Don't you think you're overreacting a bit Wanda?" Jean asked. "After all, you had to come in to this world somehow. Sex is a natural part of life." 

Wanda turned on Jean. "So you're okay with the idea of _your_ parents doing the nasty?" 

Jean went pale. "I, well, that is" 

"Have you ever _seen_ them at it? All sweaty and" 

"WANDA!" Kitty screeched. "YUCK!" 

Rogue smirked as Jean gagged. "Ah feel better now." 

"Great, we feel your pain," Kitty made a face. "Can't we talk about something else? Like, why you even thought he was full out rejecting you? Considering he's been dribbling after you for months?" 

Rogue's mood took an abrupt downturn and she scowled. "He kept blithering on about how Ah had lots of potential and was really powerful" 

"Which you are," Jean interrupted. 

"Yeah, who kicked our collective butts all over downtown a couple of weeks ago?" Amara pointed out. 

"And you have the magnetic powers," Kitty pointed out. 

"Ah DON'T!" Rogue burst out. 

There was a stunned silence. Rogue hugged her knees and bowed her head, not meeting the eyes of the other girls. Then Wanda touched her shoulder. "When did you realise that?" 

"A few days ago," Rogue's voice was muffled. "Ah was feeling fine and Ah tried to and it didn't work, nothing did. Ah've lost them for good." 

"So?" Wanda said. "Does it really matter? You're still you. You're still capable of cleaning our clocks if you really wanted to." 

"But Ah miss being able to _do_ things. And Ah thought if Ah could learn how to use them Ah could eventually generate a shield, like Erik does, and Ah could touch anyone Ah choose." 

"I know this sounds harsh," said Jean softly, leaning closer. "But perhaps it is a good thing they're gone. You were relying on them too much and ignoring your natural mutation. I'm sure that you will learn to control it, because you can do anything you want to," she grinned. "Who saved Scott from Mystique? Who saved me from Blob? You didn't have magnetic powers then!" 

Rogue raised her head and glowered at Jean. "All right, all right, Ah get you. Just stop the inspiring speeches, okay?" 

Jean held up her hands in surrender. "Speeches stopped, I promise." 

"Okay, like, we _need_ to break the tension!" Kitty clapped her hands together. "Let's watch 'Maid in Manhattan'!" 

A chorus of groans and thrown chocolate wrappers greeted this suggestion. 

** 

Blob burped loudly and a chorus of disgust rose up from the tables around him. 

"Keep it down, man!" Evan tossed a straw wrapper at the larger teen. "That must've been heard in LA!" 

"At least it came out of his mouth, Daniels," Pietro snarked from the table he shared with Blob, Lance and Todd. "Unlike some people" 

Evan's face darkened with rage. "Why you" 

Erik sipped moodily on his black coffee as yet another slanging match erupted between his son and Evan. Swallowing the dregs, he crushed the cup and tossed it acurately into the rubbish bin nearest his table. He supposed to the eventual agreement to eat at the Bayville Mall food court had not been a bad one, but he still thought the food tasted like cardboard. Plus the noise ­ not just from the X-people and Brotherhood boys ­ was giving him a headache. And they had _still_ not decided what to do next. He wondered if he could slip away without anyone noticing. 

"This is fun, isn't it?" Jamie asked him. 

Erik winced inwardly. He wasn't sure at what point in the evening Jamie had decided he was a fun person to be around, but he wished he'd seen it in time to stop it. Now the boy was following him around like a puppy. 

"Yes," he said, trying not to sigh. "It's very scintillating." 

"Scinti-what?" 

"Never mind." Erik had an idea. "So Jamie, if this were _your_ party, what would _you_ do?" 

"Oooohhhh!!! I know!" Jamie beamed. "The video arcade! I'm really good at that Initial D driving game!" 

"Arcade, great!" Erik rolled his eyes. *Dear God I hope not.* 

"Did someone say arcade?" 

"Yeah!" 

*I'll get you for this God.* 

In one great mass, the boys converged on the mall arcade, dragging the unwilling Scott and Erik along with them. Once inside, everyone split away to their favourite games. Kurt even managed to convince Scott to join him in a game of air hockey, while Pietro challenged Evan to a game of Dance Dance Revolution. 

"And no powers Maximoff!" 

"Oh, _sure_." 

"I'm warning you Pietro! We'll be watching you!" Roberto said menacingly. 

"Oh, I'm _so_ scared." 

Erik watched the game for a couple of minutes, and then realised it was going to descend into carnage, and decided to remove himself. 

"Hey Erik! Come and play this with me!" Jamie waved. "It's a two-player shooting game. We play cops and we have to shoot the bad guys." 

Erik sighed. "Alright." Taking the second player gun, he prepared himself. 

"Ready?" 

"Yes." 

"Kay. Oh, just shoot offscreen if you run out of bullets. Here we go!" 

BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM. 

Jamie blinked. "Wow. That was great. Ummm but you're not supposed to shoot the civilians." 

"Oops," Erik said insincerely. 

"Okay, let's try again!" 

Erik rolled his eyes and sighted once more. 

Five minutes later Team Jamie and Erik had achieved the highest score in the history of the arcade. Jamie had only fired twice. 

"How'd you get so good at shooting people?" Sam asked. 

Erik smirked. "If I told you, I'd have to kill you." 

Sam searched his face for a sign this was a joke. Nothing. 

"Oooookaay" 

** 

"Okay Rogue, truth or dare?" 

"Remind me again why we're playing this?" 

"Because it's _fun_," said Kitty. "Truth or dare?" 

"Dare." 

"Shoot, I was going to ask you what your name was." 

"Ah know. That's why Ah went with dare." 

"No fair! It can't be _that_ bad." 

"Daaareee..." 

"Unless it's like, Sue Ellen or something" 

"I'm waiiittiing" 

"Or maybe Marie-Louise?" 

Rogue sighed. "Quit guessing and dare me already." 

"Fine then," Kitty smiled evilly. "I dare you to stand on the bed and sing 'Oops, I Did It Again'." 

"You'll pay for this Pryde!" 

"Who's got the camera?" 

"Quick, more cookie dough ice cream! I need to be on a sugar high!" 

"Good thing I brought a large tub," said Wanda, handing it over. 

** 

"So what do we do now?" Pietro asked. 

"You want to do _more_?" Erik asked incredulously. 

"Mmmrrmm.." Jamie muttered. 

Erik sighed. After finally being kicked out of the arcade following a suspicious 'accident' on the Dance Dance Revolution machine, the mutants had piled back into the X-van and Lance's jeep. However, the whole thing had been a bit rushed, and subsequently the teams had been a little bit mixed up. This meant that Blob, Toad, Lance, Sam, and Roberto were all in Lance's jeep, which had taken a wrong turn, and left Erik, Scott, Ray, Jamie, Kurt, Evan, Bobby and Pietro in the X-van. This was _not_ an ideal mix. As a result, Erik was still driving, with Jamie sandwiched between himself and Pietro. Scott had volunteered to sit in the back and keep an eye on the more volatile members of the X-Men. This mostly consisted of saying "Shut up Bobby," or "Shut up Evan" every two minutes. 

"Well, what _can_ we do?" Erik asked more quietly, trying not to wake up Jamie. "You're all too young to drink or go to nightclubs, you don't want to go to the movies, and I'm not going _near_ another arcade," he glared meaningfully at Pietro. 

"What did _I_ do?" 

"You cheated!" 

"Shut up Evan." 

Erik sighed and stopped for a red light. His head was thumping loudly. He frowned and turned to look at the car which had pulled up next to him. Apparently the thumping was coming from the unnecessarily loud sound system within it. Two boys roughly the same age as Pietro and Evan grinned at him and nodded in time with the beat. The driver revved his engine loudly. 

"Wanna race?" 

Erik raised his eyebrow. "You want to race _me_?" 

"What? Afraid you'll wreck your Daddy's car?" 

The other boy laughed. "Aw, leave em alone Eli. They're just a bunch of kiddies, probably on the way home from Bible class. They could never keep up with _us_." 

Erik wondered what they'd look like as their car came apart around them. Hmmm 

Scott poked him in the shoulder. "No powers!" 

Erik twitched. "Why Summers, I would _never_ do _anything_ like that." 

"Shut up Erik." 

Pietro sneered and leaned over to the window. "You losers think we couldn't keep up with _you_? I could _run_ faster than your cheap, souped-up little Japanese import!" 

"You tell him Pietro!" Evan cheered. "Kick their asses Erik." 

"I'm NOT racing these children!" Erik snarled. 

"Who're you calling children?!" 

"Ixnay on the ildrenchay," Kurt reminded Erik. 

Insults began to fly fast and furiously between the two vehicles. Evan and Pietro, united against a common foe, easily coming up with the most inventive expletives. Finally the light turned green and the car peeled away. 

"Thank goodness _that's_ oOW!" Erik howled as Pietro moved his foot over and slammed down on top of the accelerator ­ and Erik's foot. The X-van lurched forward. At the same time, Evan leaned over Erik's shoulder and punched the turbo accelerator button. 

"Shit," Scott fell back, slamming into the side of the van and losing his usual calm. "Evan! Pietro!" 

"Wha's happenin'?" Jamie awoke and was jolted against Pietro. 

"GAH!" Erik struggled to keep control as three Jamies filled the front seat, one of them practically in his lap. "Jamie, reintegrate! Pietro, get the hell off my foot!" 

The van swerved wildly down the street, overtaking the boy racers and screaming off into the night. The two boys stared after it as it took a corner. Just. 

Sheer chaos reigned inside the van. Erik frantically tried to reach the cut-off switch for the turbo, but couldn't take his hands off the wheel for long enough to hit it. Loud sirens sounded behind them. 

"Oh no," he moaned. "I said reintegrate Jamie!" 

As the three Jamie's became two, Erik shoved Pietro back into his seat, and then pinned him down by using his power to snap the seat belt into place around him. "Don't move!" He growled. 

Jamie finally managed to get himself together, and Erik hit the brakes. "Everyone better have their seat belts on!" He snarled, sounding uncannily like his former self. "Now licence oh shit." 

"Um" Pietro started. 

"Shut up!" 

"But" 

"Don't make me tell you again, young man! You are in BIG TROUBLE!" 

Mutely Pietro held up a licence. 

"Oh. Okay." Erik snatched it just as the policeman tapped on his window. 

Erik took a deep breath as he rolled down the window. "Good evening officer," he said, smiling calmly. "What seems to be the problem?" 

"Son, do you have _any_ idea how fast you were going?" 

"No," Erik said with complete honesty. "I'm very sorry. It will _not_ happen again." 

The policeman didn't look convinced. "Licence please." 

Erik handed it over. 

There was a tense pause as the policeman checked the details of the licence. Everyone began to sweat when he looked up at Erik and then narrowly examined the picture on the licence again. 

Finally the officer spoke. 

"So Mr Maximoff, aren't you a little young to be driving so many passengers?" 

Erik tried not to snarl. "Um, we have a more experienced driver on board." 

"Hi!" Scott said brightly. "We were taking turns you see. It's pretty late and I was tired and didn't want to risk driving without my night glasses. I have an eye condition you see." 

The officer looked dubious. "And can you explain why you were lurching all over the road at well over the speed limit too?" 

"That was my fault!" Jamie piped up suddenly. "You see, I was teasing P Erik," he pointed at Pietro, "and then he tickled me, and I bumped into E Pietro, and that made the car lurch." 

The officer looked at him narrowly. "You shouldn't be playing games like that in the car, son." 

"I know, I'm sorry," Jamie looked up at him with big, soulful eyes. "I promise I'll _never_ do it again." 

The officer smiled briefly. "Well, seeing as this was an accident, and nobody got hurt, I'll just give you a ticket for speeding." 

Pietro made a spluttering sound. Erik tried not to smirk. 

"But if I catch you speeding again Mr Maximoff, there'll be hell to pay. Understand?" 

"I understand," Erik said. "I'm really sorry about this." 

The ticket written, the policeman gone, Erik started the van again and drove, slowly, down the street. 

"A ticket? A TICKET!" Pietro spluttered. "That's not fair! I wasn't even driving!" 

"Oh really, you could have fooled ME!" Erik shot back. "If it weren't for your powers I'd make you _walk_ home after that stunt you pulled!" 

** 

"It's moving! It's moving!" Rahne squeaked excitedly. 

"Only because Tabitha's pushing it!" Jubilee glared at the blonde who grinned and stuck out her tongue. 

"Tabitha! You can't manipulate the ouja board!" Kitty scolded. 

"Aw who cares? It's just a load of tripe anyway. This thing isn't going to tell our futures!" 

"She's got that right," Rogue muttered to Wanda from her sprawled position on her bed where she was watching the game and nibbling on Hershey's kisses. 

"I can't believe Kitty has all this stuff," Wanda murmured back. 

"Believe it, Ah room with her." 

"Come on, you two. It's been fun, don't you think?" Jean encouraged. 

Rogue considered this, eyeing the group of girls gathered around the ouja board, the scattered rubbish of ice cream tubs, sweet packets and soft drink bottles and the piles of DVD movies stacked up by the TV. "Ah guess so." 

"Do you feel better?" Jean asked, sitting down on the bed. 

"A bit," Rogue admitted. "Erik's still a jerk though." 

Wanda twisted to look up at her friend. "So he's a jerk for _not_ taking advantage of you. Huh, that's a new one." 

Rogue opened her mouth and then hesitated. Mentally she replayed the incident with Erik and a blush stained her cheeks. "Maybe Ah was a bit hasty slagging him off," she muttered, not meeting Wanda or Jean's eyes. "But Ah don't know. Ah guess Ah was still a bit mad after _our_ fight," she admitted, glancing at Jean. "By the way, Ah'm sorry about that." 

"Me too," Jean said. "I shouldn't have said some of those things. But at the same time, I'm kind of glad we got it off our chests." 

"Yeah," Rogue admitted. "Ah do feel better now." 

"So does this mean you're going to give Erik another chance?" Wanda asked. 

Rogue grinned at her. "Now you're on _his_ side?" 

"I am _not_," Wanda asserted. "I don't care about him at all. But you're happy with him, so" she trailed off. "Don't make me say these things." 

"Sorry." 

"Sooo" Jean nagged. 

Rogue rolled her eyes. "Ah guess Ah can give him another shot." 

"Good, I'm glad that's all sorted out," Wanda nodded decisively. 

Rogue smirked, "So you're all fine with me and Erik _doing_ things together." 

Wanda went green. "I shouldn't have eaten all that ice cream." 

"See, I _told_ you this thing was stupid!" Tabitha's voice rang out. "Who the hell did that?" 

"Well it wasn't _me_, ouja-cheater!" Kitty yelled back. 

"Hey, hey! No fighting!" Jean yelled. "What's the problem?" 

"We asked the ouja board about Rogue's future," Amara explained. "And now Kitty and Tabitha think that they each messed up the results." 

"What _were_ the results?" Rogue asked, curious despite herself. 

Amara hesitated, and then held up the pad with the results written on it. 

YOU ARE IN PERIL. 

Rogue stared at the words for a long moment, before snorting loudly. "You're right," she said. "That _is_ stupid." 

Despite this, they all continued to stare at the words until a knock on the door distracted them. 

"Girls, it's late!" Storm's voice came through clearly. "The boys are on their way home and it's time for everyone to go to bed. Lights out in fifteen minutes!" 

"Want to stay the night?" Rogue asked Wanda. 

"Nah, I better go back with the Brotherhood," Wanda yawned. "Thanks for inviting me though." 

"Thanks for coming." 

They looked at each other. 

"No hugging," they chorused. 

** 

Piotr Rasputin AKA Colossus walked towards the gates of the Xavier mansion, his head bowed. For days he had carried out Magneto's orders and searched for information about Apocalypse and a clue about the final key, but all his efforts had yielded nothing. The Russian was dispirited. Magneto may have changed somewhat, but he was surely not going to be pleased. Colossus only hoped that his team-mates, Pyro and Gambit, had had better luck. 

"Bonsoir mon ami," Gambit emerged silently from the shadows. "From your expression I take it your luck has been as good as mine?" 

"You found nothing?" 

Gambit shrugged and spread his hands. "This is a secret even I could not find." 

"You blokes came up short too?" Pyro sauntered up, seemingly untroubled. "Well, no use pissing and moaning about it. Let's just tell the man and" 

Headlights blinded them all briefly as the X-van roared up towards the gates, followed by Lance's jeep. Seeing the Acolytes, both vehicles screeched to a halt. 

"What are they doing here?" Pietro poked his head out of the window, gawking at the Acolytes. 

Grim reality intruded on Erik and his mouth thinned. His Acolytes did not have the appearance of successful men, which meant the third key still remained unfound. "Scott, take over. I'll talk to them." 

For once Scott didn't argue. Erik got out and walked over to the Acolytes as Scott drove the van through the gates, the jeep following. 

"Report," Erik ordered. 

"There's nothing to report, boss," said Pyro. "We haven't found a bloody thing." 

"He's right," Gambit agreed. "Apocalypse's whereabouts remain secret and we couldn't find out anything about the third key. And I even asked the people who usually know such things." 

Erik frowned and stared into the darkness. "Very well," he said eventually. "I acknowledge that you have tried. Come, we must talk to the X-Men and work out a new plan." 

After a brief hesitation, the Acolytes followed their leader inside the mansion gates, unaware that they were being closely watched. 

** 

Mystique lowered her binoculars and turned to Mesmero. "Are you sure?" she asked. "Xavier is in there, surely he'll sense you." 

"Not when he is deeply asleep," Mesmero replied. "Like most, he believes he is safe in his home. Besides, all you need to do is guide me to the girl's room. I can capture her mind from beneath the window and she will come without resistance." 

"And no one will know what she had done afterwards?" 

"As I told you, I will give her some of my power and she will befuddle their minds. It will seem like a bad dream, nothing more." 

"And Rogue will be unharmed?" 

"Have I not already given you my word? She will know nothing and will come when you call." 

Mystique tucked the binoculars away. "Fine," she shrugged away the prickle of unease within her. "So now all we can do is wait until they're asleep." 

Mesmero drew his hood down so she couldn't see his smile. *Soon, master, the third key will come to you and revive you to your full glory!* 

To be continued... 


	10. Chapter 9: And so it begins

Part Nine

***

With a frustrated sigh, Erik lay down on his bed and frowned into the darkness. He still couldn't believe it Nothing. With all their searching, the Acolytes found nothing on Apocalypse that they didn't already know and the location of the third key remained a tantalising mystery. What was even more irritating was the plain fact that Charles, Beast and, Erik had to admit, himself were unsurprised by this disappointing news. *It was a vain hope to think that a secret this old could be easily discovered,* Erik shut his eyes. Still, he had so wanted his men to uncover something. But Charles was right (again!), there was no point hashing the matter over and over again tonight. Tomorrow morning they would re-examine the evidence they had already and attempt to extrapolate another theory. Besides, after the hectic night, Erik was only too glad to get some sleep.

Hands brushed his cheek, soft and warm hands. A gentle, caress that held no threat, but tugged lightly at the low bio-magnetic shield he constantly maintained. Sleepily Erik cracked open his eyes. He could barely see her in the dark, but he knew who it was. "Rogue?" 

She didn't answer, just leaned in closer and gently kissed him on the lips, hands continuing to stroke his face. Erik's eyes almost closed again as he enjoyed the sensations her touch evoked within him, but then common sense intruded and he pulled away. "Rogue What are you?"

She leapt back with an agility matching Kurt's. Erik started to rise, but then she vanished, leaving only a faint sulphurous scent behind. He blinked. What had just happened? Why was Rogue playing games? That wasn't like her. 

Suspicious, he got out of bed and poked his head out of the door, listening carefully. Nothing seemed indicate any sort of disturbance. Erik frowned and walked silently to his nearest neighbour's bedroom door and opened it, peering at the bed's occupant. Evan looked to be sleeping peacefully and Erik withdrew, carefully shutting the door behind him. He stood in the corridor for a while, puzzled. Had he imagined Rogue's appearance in his bedroom? He pressed his fingers to his lips, still feeling the warmth of hers. Shaking his head, Erik went back to his own bed and lay down, arms behind his head, staring once again into the darkness until sleep pulled him under. 

"Oh SHIT!!! We're gonna be LATE!!!"

Erik awoke with a grunt and raised his head as the loud yell from Evan's room penetrated his brain. The boy thundered down the corridor, his footsteps joined by others, all equally as frantic. 

"Kids" Erik rasped and reached for his alarm clock. He stared groggily at the numbers. 

Five minutes later, Erik breathlessly arrived at the breakfast room door. "How could I have forgotten to set the alarm? And why didn't anyone wake me?"

"It wasn't just you," Rogue yawned as she walked up to him, "_Everyone_ overslept." 

"It seems a little odd that" Erik paused and looked at her. He recalled seeing her in his bedroom, something that seemed to be a dream in the light of day, but at the same time "Rogue, did you come into my room last night?"

She frowned at him. "No."

"Are you sure?" he pressed. "Because I'm certain that you came and kissed me."

Rogue snorted. "Erik, Ah think you've been dreaming! And while Ah'm real flattered that it was a dream about me" she pushed open the door. "Ah think you're confusing fantasy with reality and oh mah God."

Erik was about to argue with her when he saw the chaos that had captured her attention. All the X-kids were running frantically around, eating and drinking, bumping into each other (which was why there were about eight Jamies in the room) and generally causing a mess. 

"Ah think Ah'm skipping breakfast," Rogue groaned, turning away.

"I think I'll join you," Erik agreed.

//Erik, I would like to speak to you.//

"What's up?" Rogue asked seeing the faint look of annoyance cross Erik's face.

"Charles wants to see me," he said. He smiled at her. "I'll see you at school later then."

"Sure," Rogue grinned back at him and wandered off. "See you in Chemistry!"

**

Erik ducked a random paper plane as he headed in to third period chemistry and looked around at the chaos with disgust. *What a mess,* he thought to himself. *Just because it is the last day of school is no reason to relax discipline. On the other hand, I don't have to endure lessons, and that is a good thing.* He smiled and headed over to the bench he usually shared with Rogue. 

Who was not there.

"Scott, where's Rogue?"

"Huh? What?" Scott looked confused and Erik sighed. "Rogue. Female. About so tall," he indicated. "Auburn hair, white stripe, Goth makeup?"

"I _know_ who Rogue is!"

"Well, where is she then?"

Scott blinked. "She's not here? I thought you guys were usually joined at the hip."

"I had to go and talk to Charles about the whole big A thing," Erik gritted out. "I haven't seen her since this morning."

"Oh. Well maybe she's just skipping class. It's not like anyone's going to notice if some students don't show up to everything today."

"But she said she would see me in chemistry, which implies she intended to be here."

"Maybe she's afraid she'd crumble to death in the sunlight," an unwelcome voice interjected.

Erik shot a cold glare at Duncan, who was now smirking triumphantly at finally managing to make a dig at Erik. Duncan hadn't messed with him for a while now, but clearly the last day of school was making him overconfident.

"I notice that you only say that where Rogue can't hear you," Erik retorted. "Frightened?"

"As if," Duncan snorted. "I could break her with one hand!"

Scott and Erik both burst into laughter. "Riiiiighttt..." Scott managed to choke out. "Please, she'd hand you your head on a platter."

Duncan stormed off as they continued to laugh at him. Erik waited for him to get out of hearing range and then sighed. "Alright, now that we've got the childishness out of the way, where _is_ Rogue?"

"Look, don't worry about it," Scott said. "I'm sure she'll turn up. Maybe she got side-tracked by Wanda or something."

Erik considered this. "True," he murmured. "I guess I'll see them at lunch then."

However when lunchtime rolled around, neither Rogue or Wanda could be found in the cafeteria, or the surrounding area. Erik spent half an hour searching before swinging around to Kurt, Kitty and Evan's table. 

"Have _any_ of you seen Rogue since this morning?" He demanded.

Kurt frowned. "Now that you mention it, I haven't seen her since we were walking in to school this morning. I'm sure she was behind me, but I haven't seen her since."

"You know, I haven't seen Lance today either," Kitty piped up. "I didn't really think that was weird because, after all, this is _Lance_. But, I would have expected to see him for the last day."

"Pietro hasn't been around either," Evan added. "Actually, I don't think I've seen any of those guys today."

Without another word, Erik turned on his heel and marched out of the cafeteria, heading for the Brotherhood house.

**

Rogue settled back into the limousine and turned to Mystique. "I got them all," she said in a wooden tone of voice. 

"Excellent," Mystique smiled. "And the Acolytes and the X-Men too?"

"Yes. Except for Magneto."

"What?!"

"I was unable to take his power," Rogue said blankly. "He is shielded against me."

"Damn," Mystique leaned forward. "Is this going to be a problem, Mesmero?"

"I do not think so, My Lord is more powerful than Magneto."

"So now what?" Mystique asked.

"Now we go to awaken him."

**

Erik stared in shock at the bodies littered around the Brotherhood of Bayville Boarding House. "No..." he whispered. "They can't all be..." 

He knelt beside Wanda's sprawled form and felt for her pulse. 

"Oh thank God," he said. "Alive."

Nearby, Pietro moaned.

"Pietro!"

"AAAAHHHH!" Pietro screamed and sat up. "Rogue! Don't touch me!"

"Rogue?" Erik grabbed his son and shook him. "Where is she? What happened?"

"You! You set her on us! You're trying to get rid of us!"

Erik rolled his eyes. "If I was doing that, why would I be here trying to help you now?"

Pietro blinked. "Oh, point. But then why would she attack us? I thought she liked Wanda, at least."

"Rogue likes all of you," Erik said absently. "She just doesn't show it." He turned away and looked thoughtfully around. "But you're right, it doesn't make sense. There's no reason for her to go around randomly absorbing people. Did she say anything?"

"Not a word," Pietro said. "And that was the scariest thing. It was like it wasn't her. I mean, I turned around and she tele ported like Kurt does, and then she grabbed me. And her eyes were just empty."

"Tele ported like Kurt? Are you _sure_?"

"Sure I'm sure. I _saw_ it."

"Alright, I believe you. Help me wake everyone up, We're going to Xavier's mansion."

**

Gambit flipped a card idly into the air and yawned. "How long do we have to stay here and wait?"

"As long as the boss wants us to," Pyro said cheerfully. "Are _you_ gonna go against him?"

"I ain't afraid of him," Gambit retorted. "It only suits me to obey his orders."

"Oh la di da," Pyro mocked. "Sounds like you got up on the wrong side of bed this morning."

"I believe we all did," said Colossus. "It has been a long time since I slept so late in the morning."

"Actually, now that you mention it mate, I had the weirdest dream last night."

"Did it involve anything being on fire?" Gambit asked suspiciously.

"Are you implying something?"

"Moi? Nooooo... Just the last time you had a dream I woke up to find the curtains alight."

"I keep telling you, that was an accident."

"Oh, you _accidentally_ tried to burn me to death in my sleep!"

"I thought you were a monster!"

Behind them Colossus sighed the sigh of someone who's heard this argument way too many times.

"Did you all oversleep this morning?"

They turned to see Erik standing in the doorway. 

"Pardon?" Gamit asked in confusion.

"Did you all oversleep this morning?"

The Acolytes exchanged glances. 

"Yes."

"DAMN!" Erik stormed away.

"Okay, that was strange," Pyro said.

**

"Charles!" Erik flung open the door to Xavier's office and strode straight inside. "We have a problem!"

Xavier, Storm and Wolverine all stared at him in surprise and annoyance. "Didn't you ever hear of knocking, bub?" Logan growled.

"It's all right, Logan," Xavier said, his eyes fixed on Erik's face. The emotions rolling off Erik were more than enough to convince Charles that something serious had happened. "I'm sure he has good reason."

"Rogue is missing. She absorbed the powers of all the Brotherhood members and I strongly suspect that last night she absorbed the powers of everyone living in this house."

There was a stunned pause.

"How do you know this?" Storm asked finally.

"Because Pietro told me that she attacked them," Erik said bluntly. "And in this case I believe him," he looked at Xavier. "I've brought all of the Brotherhood with me and their individual stories match, Rogue attacked them without warning using powers remarkably similar to Kurt's and the other X-Men."

Logan frowned. "I thought it was strange we all over slept this morning," he said. "And were exhausted as well. Didn't really think too much on it, but now if she did absorb all of us then that would explain things."

"But why do we have no memory of the incident?" Storm queried. "When Rogue uses her power the victim feels it quite strongly."

"That I can't explain," Erik admitted. "But last night, I woke to find her" he paused. "Touching my face"

Three pairs of eyes fixed on him and he coughed. "I thought it was a dream," he muttered.

Xavier steepled his fingers. "Hmm, and now she has vanished?"

"This is nuts!" Wolverine growled. "Rogue wouldn't do something like this!"

"No," agreed Xavier. "_Rogue_ wouldn't. But"

"Mesmero would," Erik finished Charles' sentence, a horrified expression on his face.

The two old friends met each others gaze as the same thought flashed through their minds. 

"Mesmero needs Rogue to acquire the final key!"

**

"What? No way!" Kurt wailed. "We've got to find her!"

"We are trying Kurt," Xavier assured him. "I promise, we are looking for Rogue as best we can."

"But where is she going?" Kurt persisted. "We have no idea."

"I used Cerebro to interpret the information I gained from Mesmero the last time I faced him," said Xavier. "And I now believe that Apocalypse's location is beneath the Sphinx in Egypt."

"Then let's go!" Kurt shouted.

"Oh yeah, sure," Wanda said snidely. "Let's charged in _completely_ unprepared against a possessed Rogue with ALL of our powers. She kicked your collective butts last time, and that's when she was kind of aware! We wouldn't have a chance against her now! Not to mention Mesmero as well."

"That is the other thing," Xavier interjected. "If we are to fight Mesmero, I will have to put mental blocks into everyone's mind. I will not do this without your permission, but noone without such a block will be allowed to come on this mission."

"Volunteering for block over here!" Kurt waved his hand. Xavier smiled at him, "Thank you Kurt. I'll do you second."

"Who's first?"

"Me." Erik said firmly.

"But are we completely sure that Rogue's gone to the sphinx?" Jean asked. "It could be a trap, or a red herring."

"You must go to the sphinx," a new voice interjected.

Nearly everyone jumped and turned to see a slight, brown-haired woman standing in the doorway. She wore dark glasses and carried a cane.

"It's... Irene, isn't it?" Xavier asked. "Rogue's foster-mother."

"Yes, I am known as Irene Adler. But you may call me Destiny." She advanced into the room.

"How did you get past all of the defences?" Evan blurted. "You're... blind!"

"I see the future, _every_ future," was Irene's cryptic reply. She turned to face Xavier. "I was not going to intervene this time, but Mystique's choice has forced my hand."

"Mystique?" Several people shouted.

"What does Mystique have to do with this?" Wolverine demanded. "Is this another of her plots?"

"Only a plot motivated by affection," Irene responded. "Mystique desires the continued existence of herself and her children. She believes that Apocalypse offers the best chance for that survival. She does not know that she goes to her doom."

"And what about Rogue?" Erik demanded. "What happens to her?"

Irene sighed. "The future is not set in stone yet. All I know is that the moment that Rogue reaches Apocalypse he will rise, with catastrophic results. I cannot tell you any more than that. But I can put you on the right trail. The majority of you must go to the tomb beneath the sphinx. There you will find something that will help, but beware of the guardians. The best trackers," with a gesture she indicated Wolverine and Gambit, "must make haste to pick up the trail. I will be your guide in this."

"And I will be going as well," Erik spoke up.

"No," Irene's voice was firm. "You must go with the others. You will be needed." She smiled slightly at him. "But I am glad that you care for my daughter so much."

Erik flushed slightly.

There was a short silence as everyone absorbed Irene's words.

"Well, that all seems to be settled then," said Beast. "Scott, prep the Blackbird. Everyone else, suit up and get ready. What about the blocks, Professor?"

"They will not take long," Xavier said.

"Right, well _we _better get moving," Wolverine said, glancing at Gambit.

"After you, mon ami," Gambit smiled. 

Wolverine cast a dubious look at Irene. "We're going to be travelling fast. Can you handle that?"

"Of course," she responded calmly. "Lead the way."

**

"Wow, Egypt," Kitty at the Sphinx in awe. "You really get to see the world in the X-Men!"

"I just want to see Rogue again," Kurt said miserably. 

"We'll find her Kurt, don't worry," Kitty said kindly. "I promise. Bobby would you stop fidgeting?"

"Well I want to get going," Bobby snapped. He looked over at where Xavier and Beast were discussing how best to enter the tomb. "How long do you think it'll take them to find the door?"

Wanda stared at the Sphinx assessingly. "Maybe I could..."

"NO!" Several people shouted. 

"It was just an idea." Wanda sulked. 

"Sis, don't do anything that'll get you sent home," Pietro reminded her. "You know that they weren't even going to let you come originally." He smirked. "Man, Lance and Evan were so pissed when they were told they couldn't come."

"You're all heart," Wanda sniped. "And I do not pose a 'structural threat' to _anything_, no matter what Beast says."

"Unless it annoys you," Pietro muttered. 

"Poor Lance," said Kitty. "I wish he was here."

"Someone had to stay behind and look after the rest of the New Mutants," Bobby said, smirking. "And Lance's powers are too dangerous underground anyway."

"I know, I know," Kitty sighed. "I just wish he was here."

"Kitty!" Xavier called. "We need your help."

Kitty gulped. "We're gonna do that other thing?"

"We're gonna do the other thing, yes," Beast said, holding out a breathing mask. "Don't worry, we'll remain in contact. You remember what to do?"

"Phase down until I get to an interior chamber, then look around for the opening mechanism you told me about." Kitty nodded as she put on the mask and switched on the lights and communicator. "Okay, I'm all set."

Erik stepped up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Kitty, I want to thank you for doing this."

Kitty grinned at him. "No sweat, she's my friend too, you know?"

***

"Put some warm clothes on her," Mesmero said as he walked down the asle of the small chartered plane. "We'll be landing in Tibet soon."

Mystique glared at the magician's back. She _really_ didn't like the man. However, she obeyed his order and put a warm jacket on Rogue, the girl behaving like a little child. Mystique felt a pang as she looked at her daughter's blank face. For the hundredth time she questioned her decision, but then ruthlessly thrust the doubts aside. 

"I'm sorry, Rogue," she murmured, aware that the girl couldn't really hear her. "But this is for the best. This way I can secure our futures."

The plane started to descend.

***

"Why fucking Tibet?" Logan growled.

"Apocalypse resides there," Destiny answered. She sat calmly behind the co-pilot's seat of the plane that Gambit had 'acquired', dressed in a long blue robe and wearing a golden mask. 

"Great," Logan muttered sullenly. He glanced over at Gambit who sat silently in the co-pilot's seat. "Remember to follow my orders when we land, kid."

Gambit shot Wolverine an unfriendly look. "Oui, Monsieur"

"Don't say it," said Destiny. "Even I do not have to see the future to know where that remark will take you."

"This mission is getting worse by the minute," Gambit muttered.

***

"'Beware the guardians'," Pyro mocked. "She could have been more bloody specific!"

"Shut up and fight!" Pietro yelled, dodging another attack by the giant statues that lined the corridors of the tomb. 

"She didn't even tell us how _not_ to wake the damn guardians," Wanda complained, firing a hex-bolt at a giant Anubis. 

"Maybe it was inevitable?" Kurt suggested, teleporting behind her and grabbing her just as a giant Horus swung its axe at her head. With a loud bamf they reappeared further along the corridor.

"Inevitable my ass," Wanda muttered. "Thanks by the way."

"You're most welcome," Kurt bowed gallantly. 

Throughout the tomb there was chaos as the younger mutants battled furiously against the ancient guardians, keeping them busy while Erik, Xavier and Beast searched for more clues about Apocalypse's location. The three had been cut off from the main group during the initial attack and now stood in a long, many-columned corridor. Hieroglyphics filled the walls from floor to ceiling and Beast peered at them intently, trying to uncover their secrets. Already he had managed to decipher the story of Apocalypse's origin, a story of one of the first mutants and an other-worldly Pharoah known as Rama Tut, which he related to the other two.

Erik paused and turned, listening to the sounds of combat. "Do you think they'll be alright?" he asked as Beast paused to translate further.

"This is what they have trained for," Xavier replied. "They will be fine. And Storm is watching over them as well." He smiled slightly. "You are softening my friend."

Erik grumbled quietly. 

"Please continue, Hank," Xavier requested.

"Then Apocalypse found the source of Rama-Tut's power deep within these chambers," Beast continued the story. "A vessel and inside the vessel a device called the Eye of Ages. He mastered the secrets of the strange technology and used it to reshape the world in his own image."

"Mutants," breathed Xavier. "He was going to turn humans into mutants... ALL humans."

Beast nodded and continued to read aloud. "The Eye was powered by Apocalypse himself, but when he activated it, his lifeforce was drained... and then he was betrayed. Apocalypse was entombed, hidden in the highest reaches of the world, locked behind three doors in the hopes that he would never again walk the earth."

"And?" Erik demanded when Beast stopped.

"That's it, there is no more."

"So, that confirms what we suspected," Erik snarled. "This ISN'T the tomb of Apocalypse and we have no idea where that is! Rogue could be anywhere and we have no way of knowing!"

"Calm down, my friend," Xavier concealed his own disappointment well. "Destiny sent us here for a reason, we must find what she said would help us."

"Her description was a little vague," Beast said. "However, I think she may have been referring to that vessel with the alien technological device, the Eye of Ages," he ran his finger thoughtfully along the hieroglyphics carved into the walls.

"And where is it?" Erik asked urgently. 

"I believe it is located... this way," Beast loped down towards the end of the corridor, Erik and Xavier following. 

They soon found themselves face two huge doors with no clear way to open them. 

"What lies behind these doors?" Xavier wondered aloud.

"Answers," Erik replied shortly. He gathered up his power and flung it at the doors, wrenching them apart. 

"Rama Tut's vessel," breathed Hank as they stepped into a huge chamber in the middle of which sat a large bluish triangular device covered in strange markings. "This is the Eye of Ages."

"It looks rather empty," Erik said once they had drawn close enough to see inside.

"But there was something there at one point," Xavier said, wheeling into the vessel. "Yes, it must have been removed after Apocalypse was entombed... or he was entombed inside it," he picked up a strange headpiece that resembled Cerebro's. "Perhaps I can uncover its secrets."

"That's risky, Charles," said Hank dubiously.

"What other choice do we have?" Erik asked as Xavier put on the headpiece.

Hank was about to reply when his communicator crackled.

"Hank!" Logan's voice buzzed over the com. "Are you there?"

"Yes, Logan. Where are you?"

"We've tracked Rogue, Mystique and Mesmero to Tibet," Logan replied. "We're close, but Destiny says there isn't much time... you all have to get here!"

"Tibet?" Erik's eyes widened. "Of course! The highest reaches of the world! That's where Apocalypse is!"

"Stop them any way you can!" Beast ordered. "Where are you exactly? M-peak? Right... we'll be there."

Xavier's eyes narrowed and, taking a deep breath, he activated the head piece. 

Erik's fists clenched. Everything depended on Logan's team slowing Mesmero down and Xavier mastering the alien vessel, he could do nothing but wait. 

***

"Come on!" Logan yelled into the wind and snow. "We have to hurry!"

"We are hurrying!" snapped Gambit, but he quickened his pace, glancing over to Destiny who was matching him, her head bowed to the wind. "Are you all right, Madame Destine?"

"I am... uh!" Destiny fell to her knees, clutching her head. Soon Wolverine and Gambit were doing the same, writhing as they fought the compulsion that filled their minds.

"Merde!" Gambit gasped, struggling to his feet. "Mesmero tried to get me to kill you both...!"

"Lucky for Xavier's mental block," Wolverine growled. "Otherwise you'd be sailing off the cliff now, boy."

"So you think," Gambit snarled back.

"Cease your quarrel!" Destiny stepped between them. "We're losing them!"

***

Mesmero ushered Mystique and Rogue out of the raging storm and into a spacious cave. Mystique immediately noticed the ornately painted door before her and raised an eyebrow. "Now what?" she asked.

Mesmero ignored her and stepped towards the door, raising his arms. "The day has finally come, great Apocalypse. I now deliver the final key, the shapeshifting mutant, Mystique!"

"What?" Mystique yelled. "Me? I thought you needed her!" she pointed at the expressionless Rogue.

"You are both needed," Mesmero's smile was slick.

"Then why didn't you enslave me as you did her?"

"I could not, your powers of control are quite formidable."

"And you'd better remember that!" Mystique snapped out. "All right... fine. I've come this far. What do I have to do?"

"You must go through there," Mesmero used his staff to indicate a small opening in the door. "Once on the other side you will see the engraved sign of Apocalypse. Place your hand on it and the door will open."

It sounded so easy, Much too easy. Mystique hesitated. She could still walk away now, over power Mesmero and wake Rogue from her trance. But outside was Wolverine and whoever else he had brought with him, and they would not let her go so easily. She looked at Rogue and nodded slightly. For her daughter's future, for their future, she would open Mesmero's door. 

Mesmero watched gleefully as Mystique morphed into the form of a snake and slithered through the opening. "Be ready," he ordered Rogue, motioning her to stand before the doors. There was a rumble and the doors quivered slightly and then slowly pulled apart. Above the sound a scream of rage and fear rang out and was quickly silenced. Mesmero chuckled and pushed Rogue towards the opening. "Go and waken your master, girl."

Rogue walked through and past the statue of Mystique that stood, hand still on the sign of Apocalypse, mouth open in a permanent silent scream. She walked down the steps and towards the large round object at the very bottom. Markings covered it completely and near the top was another seal in the shape of a hand. Pulling off her gloves, Rogue stepped closer to the object and placed her hand on on the seal... it fitted perfectly. The object shuddered and glowed faintly. She took one step back and watched as the object opened to reveal the stick thin figure of a man dressed in ancient Egyptian robes. He lay in what looked like a coffin, his eyes closed and his hands crossed on his chest. 

Slowly, raising her hand, Rogue moved closer.

***

"Fire in the hold!" Gambit cried, ducking to one side as the rock door to the cave glowed. With a bang it exploded, showering pieces everywhere and leaving nothing behind but an empty space. With a roar, Wolverine charged inside, followed closely by Gambit.

"Begone!" Mesmero blocked their path. "You cannot stop this!"

"Yeah? Make me, bub!" Logan leapt at the magician, his claws extended.

Mesmero blocked with his staff that sent a powerful electric bolt surging through Logan, knocking him back. 

Ignoring a shouted warning, Gambit charged, swinging his bo staff. The two staffs met with a sharp ring, but it was Gambit who was forced back, his staff broken. 

Wolverine leapt to his feet and once again charged Mesmero, who smiled and bellowed, "Do not interfere! Destiny has dealt its hand."

"Yes it has, but she chooses life, not you!" Destiny shouted. "Logan, hold _down_ the staff!"

"Fool!" Mesmero sneered as Logan's claws pinned the staff. "You will only suffer more!" he crowed as bolts of electricity ripped through Wolverine's body.

"You're de fool!" Gambit cried, charging in from the left and swinging the remains of his staff so that it struck Mesmero a full blow to the head, knocking him instantly unconscious. "Bang, M'sieur. You be dead." 

Wolverine struggled to his feet. "Well done, b... Gambit."

"ROGUE!!!" Destiny screamed. "NO!"

***  
Rogue staggered as a great fog lifted from her mind. She blinked and looked around at the huge cavern and the corpse lying in the strange coffin before her. 

"What the hell? How did Ah... Where am AH?" she cried frantically.

"ROGUE!!"

The anguished cry reached her ears and Rogue stared up the steps towards the opening. "That sounded like... Irene?"

She turned, ready to run towards the voice, but a dry, rasping movement halted her. She looked back and gasped. The corpse's eyes were open and staring straight at her. "Uhhh..." Rogue froze.

With astonishing speed a skeletal arm shot out and grabbed her hand in a viciously tight grip. Rogue screamed and struggled in vain as the impossible happened and power was sucked from her. 

*** 

"Hey," Kurt exclaimed, peering into the neck of one of the Guardians that they had finally managed to destroy. "These guys are robots!"

"Robot Egyptian Gods? Great, we're in an episode of Stargate," Pietro complained. 

Kitty hopped onto the leg of one of the robots and phased it into the floor. Jean then added her kinetic powers to Colossus's jump and the large mutant plowed directly through the chest of the Guardian.

"Alright!" Kitty yelled in triumph, "What a team!"

"Incoming!" Iceman called. "Anubis at two o'clock!"

"Which one's Anu... AAAAHHH!!!!"

"Don't worry, Wanda, I've got you!"

"Right. So _that's_ Anubis."

**

"How are you doing Professor?" Hank asked worriedly. 

Erik turned as he heard a large crash. Part of the wall was blown apart, and he saw the X-Men charging through, being pursued by giant statues. Blinking somewhat, he quickly focused his energy and tried to throw the Guardians back.

Behind him, Xavier continued to think aloud; "This was made... not in this time... another time... the future? I know what it is... a transport... it moves instantaneously... and I know how to operate it!"

Hank grinned in triumph. "And I know where we have to go! Erik, get everyone loaded onto the vessel!"

"EVERYONE OVER HERE!" Erik bellowed, before magnetically hurling the two giant statues back. Once a small safe space had been cleared, Scott, Pyro and Storm turned and focused their blasts on one of the statues, which finally exploded under their combined attacks.

Erik moved to one side to make way for the rest of the team, shooting a quick smile at Pietro and Wanda as they passed him. "Come on!" He yelled. "We're leaving!"

The three remaining combatants turned to join them, just as the remaining statue, Horus, he noted, lurched back to its feet and after them.

"These creatures are strong," he muttered to himself. "Too strong."

Again, he managed to hurl it back, and this time he smiled with triumph as Scott turned and scored a critical hit on a leg joint and the Guardian slumped to one side. Once inside the vessel, Scott managed to get another shot in that took off one of the Guardians arms. Erik watched it crawl towards them even as the vessel hummed and closed around them.

*Come on Charles, we don't have much time.*

The vessel glowed, and then disappeared, just as the last guardian's weapon came down in the place that it had been.

***

"ROGUE!"

At Destiny's cry, Logan was already running through the open doorway. He paused only once, when he saw the statue of Mystique, but otherwise continued to hurtle down the steps. Rogue's scream spurred him to move faster, but he was only in time to see her collapse in a heap on the ground and a strange figure rise from the strange coffin beside her.

Wolverine stared at the being before him. It... his skin was a pale grey, his face was grim and heavy, square-jawed with odd blue markings. He also wore the regalia of Eqyptian pharaoh's - head-dress, kilt, sandals and jewelled collar. Wolverine growled, realising exactly who hovered there. Apocalypses.

"Rrragh!" Wolverine leapt, slashing down with his claws.

Apocalypse didn't even flinch as the mutant came at him, he simply gestured and Wolverine was flung aside like a piece of trash. And without a second glance, Apocalypse moved on towards the exit.

***

In the main chamber, there was a bright flash of light as the transport vessel arrived.

"Xavier!" Destiny cried. "He's here! Apocalypse has come!"

The mutants poured out of the vessel, coming to a halt in front of the glowing figure that advanced out of the tunnel. As they fell into battle readiness, each one ready to launch an attack, the figure clapped its hands together in front of it. 

A powerful force coruscaded away from the clasped hands of Apocalypse, and smashed into the mutants, throwing them aside like twigs. Even the mighty Colossus was sent flying, as though he weighed nothing at all. With the path to the transport vessel cleared, the figure spared none of them even a second glance as it entered.

Xavier and Erik were the only two able to launch any kind of attack. For a moment, hope flared as Erik managed to prevent the vessel from closing entirely. But then Apocalypse rested his gaze upon the Master of Magnetism, and with a flick of his fingers slammed him hard into the floor. 

The vessel glowed once more and disappeared. Erik and Xavier stared after it blankly.

"We have failed," Erik whispered. 

Behind them, Destiny put her hands over her mask and pulled it off, revealing her sightless eyes. "Apocalypse has come, and he will create a future more terrible than anything we could ever have possibly imagined: The Age of Apocalypse."

To be continued...  



	11. Chapter 10: Preparing

Groaning, Rogue rolled over and opened her eyes. "Wha'happen'd ta me?" she mumbled, rubbing her aching head. She pushed herself into a sitting position and looked around the huge rock chamber. She frowned, remembering.  
  
"Logan!" she was up in seconds and stumbled over to the unconscious man. "LOGAN!"  
  
"I hear ya, kid, I hear ya." Wolverine's eyes opened and he gave her a grim smile. "You okay?"  
  
"Ah. Ah don't know," Rogue confessed, helping him to his feet. "Ah don't understand what happened," her eyes were troubled. "Except Ah think Ah did somethin' _awful_," she trembled as her memory restored. "Did Ah really wake."  
  
"Apocalypse," Wolverine supplied. "Yeah," he added. "But you were under Mesmero's control, it ain't your fault."  
  
Rogue's head drooped, her hair falling forward to hide her face. "Where are the others?"  
  
Wolverine hesitated. "I left Irene and Gambit in the outer chamber..."  
  
"Irene?" Rogue's head shot up. "Irene!"  
  
"Rogue, wait!"  
  
Rogue ignored him as she sprinted towards the exit. Just before she got there she jerked to a halt, staring in horror at the statue that stood before the door.  
  
"Mystique?" She whispered.  
  
Reaching out, she gently prodded the statue. "Is that...?" She turned as Logan came up behind her.  
  
"Mystique," he nodded grimly. "Looks like Mesmero tricked her too."  
  
Rogue shuddered, then shook it off and stepped through the door. "Irene!"  
  
Silence met her call and she saw the sprawled figures of her foster mother and Gambit lying on the cold stone floor.  
  
"Are they dead?"  
  
Wolverine shook his head. "Nope, still breathing."  
  
"Oh thank God," Rogue knelt beside Irene. "Irene? Can you hear me? Please wake up."  
  
Wolverine nudged Gambit with one toe. "Hey, anybody home?"  
  
No response. He sighed, "They're out cold, kid. Let's check the rest of this place."  
  
Reluctantly, Rogue tore herself away from Irene and joined him. The sight that greeted them stunned them both briefly.  
  
"Erik? Oh mah God, Erik!" Rogue rushed over to Magneto. "Erik? Can ya hear me? Erik! Professor! Erik! Kurt!"  
  
Wolverine rolled his eyes. "Good to see her priorities are still intact," he grouched briefly, before going over to Xavier.  
  
"Uuuuuhhh..."  
  
Logan's head snapped around. He saw the young Russian climb slowly to his feet.  
  
"What happened?" He snarled.  
  
Colossus blinked at him groggily. "Apocalypse."  
  
More of the others began to come around.  
  
"Rogue! You're okay!" Kurt lurched over and hugged her tightly. "I'm so glad."  
  
"Ah'm glad to see you too, Kurt," she hugged him back. "What happened?"  
  
Quickly, Kurt explained about the tomb beneath the Sphinx, the strange guardians, and the alien ship that had transported them here.  
  
"... and then Apocalypse came out and _wham_. Game over, man! He knocked us aside like we were flies, and then he stole our ship! Well, his ship, but finders keepers, right?"  
  
"Rogue? Child?" Irene, supported by Gambit, hobbled over to her. "Thank God you're safe."  
  
"Safe's kind of a relative term," Kitty said, and was shushed by Jean.  
  
"Irene!" Rogue enfolded her foster mother in a warm hug. "Ah'm so glad you're alright! But what are you doing here?"  
  
"We will discuss that later," Destiny told her. "Our first priority..."  
  
"Is to retire to a safer location," Professor Xavier finished, from where he was being supported by Hank. "Erik needs medical attention and we all need to plan our next move." He looked at Irene. "Can you help us?"  
  
She frowned and put her hand to her forehead. "The future is unclear. I can see flashes of possibility, but nothing concrete."  
  
"Well that's kind of promising, right?" Pyro asked. "So let's get back and get to planning!"  
  
"And _how_ exactly are we going to get home?" Wanda demanded. "We have no ship, no other means of transport, and it's long walk back to America!"  
  
**  
  
"You know, Erik is _heavy_," Pietro complained.  
  
"You're telling _me_?" Scott demanded. "I had to carry him halfway down the mountain."  
  
"And _I_ was carrying him the other half!" Pietro retorted.  
  
"Excuse me, _we_ helped," Pyro indicated himself and Gambit.  
  
"Yeah, well I'm sure Erik wasn't _half_ as heavy as a stone statue of Mystique," Jean growled. "I have such a headache."  
  
"Yeah, but you're not just gonna _leave_ her in the fountain, are you?" Toad asked.  
  
"Do you have a better place for her?"  
  
"Well at least you guys got to _do_ something," Evan interjected. "_I_ got stuck at the mansion with the kids!"  
  
"Who are you calling kids?"  
  
"Yeah, Bobby got to go!"  
  
"Well that just proves I'm better than you!"  
  
"Enough please, there is no need to fight," Colossus tried to intervene. "We should be working together, not fighting."  
  
"Well thank you, Xavier _junior_," Lance snapped.  
  
"He's right though," Scott admitted. "We have bigger problems right now."  
  
There was a short silence and then Amara spoke up, "How is Erik doing?" she asked.  
  
"He's going to be fine," Storm walked into the living room. "He woke up a few minutes ago and is all ready to take on Apocalypse. single-handed."  
  
"Well, good luck to him," Pyro said from the window seat. "Except we have no idea where the blighter is."  
  
"If only Mesmero hadn't escaped while we were unconscious," Jean sighed. "We could've found out from him."  
  
"Yeah," Scott looked glum. "And Destiny can't give us any clear information either."  
  
"So we have to sit around until he attacks?" Gambit snorted in disgust. "Merde! It was easier being the bad guy, no?"  
  
"You can always _leave_," Wanda glared at him. "We can handle Pocky by ourselves."  
  
"Oui, you did _such_ a good job last time!" Gambit glared back.  
  
"Pocky?" Pietro raised an eyebrow.  
  
***  
  
"Are you sure you're all right?" Rogue hovered anxiously.  
  
Erik smiled at her and patted her hand. "I assure you, I'm fine."  
  
"Oh. Good," Rogue squeezed his hand. "Not that Ah was worried of course."  
  
"Of course."  
  
Erik turned to Xavier, "Have you had any luck locating Apocalypse with Cerebro?"  
  
"Unfortunately not. Either his mind is shielded, or he is in the ship, in which case it is unlikely we would be able to track him by any means. He could, quite literally, be anywhere in space or time."  
  
"Just think about it," Rogue mused. "What if he were to go back in time and change things, like maybe making sure that the X-Men weren't formed. Ah wonder what the world would've been like."  
  
"Let's not," Erik said flatly. "We have enough problems without going into what ifs."  
  
"Can you see anything?" Hank asked Destiny.  
  
"Why is everyone asking Irene if she can see anything? She's _blind_ , people!" Rogue said in exasperation.  
  
"Didn't you know?" Erik asked.  
  
"Know what?"  
  
"I can see the future," Irene said. "I am a mutant like yourself."  
  
Rogue stared at her. "And you never told me?!"  
  
"You never needed to know. You didn't need Destiny, you needed Irene."  
  
"But if you knew the future, you would've known that Mystique was Risty, that she was going to betray me," Rogue said tearfully. "Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"The future is not an open book," Irene said gently. "It seems the closer I am, the more I care about a person, the more clouded their future is to me." She sighed. "I did foresee some of Mystique's actions and, in hindsight, perhaps I should have said something. But it is hard when you are caught between the two people you love the most."  
  
"Oh no, Ah wasn't going to cry anymore," Rogue attempted to stem the tears. "You... and Mystique? Was Ah ever gonna find out about this?"  
  
"I thought you had enough problems to deal with. I am sorry."  
  
"Okay I guess," Rogue did not look fully convinced, but Erik's arm around her shoulder was probably helping her relax more.  
  
"What can you tell us?" Xavier asked. "Anything would be useful."  
  
Destiny sat up straighter, closing her eyes.  
  
"The Great Lord Apocalypse has returned, and desires dominion over all life. He will call forth his Horsemen. War, Pestilence, Famine, and Death. And his Herald will proclaim him to the world. The Horsemen will ride, and chaos will follow in their wake."  
  
"Well, that was cheery," Logan muttered. "Do we have any idea who these Horsemen are going to be? Or the Herald?"  
  
"The Herald will be the most beautiful. A fallen angel."  
  
"Angel? Angel!"  
  
**  
  
Warren Worthington paced around his library, re-reading the printout of the email he'd just received from the Xavier Mansion:  
  
Mission unsuccessful. Apocalypse has risen. Rogue is fine. We may need your help. Will call with more details soon.  
  
"Come on, ring already!" Warren glared at the phone.  
  
The security system buzzed.  
  
"Yes?" Warren turned on the video monitor and examined the FedEx man. "What?"  
  
"Delivery for Mr Worthington," the young man held up a package.  
  
Warren sighed, "Alright, I'll meet you at the door." He pushed the button to open the gates and headed down to the front door. Pulling out a pen to sign for the package he opened the door. The FedEx man fell in a heap at his feet and Warren found himself staring into the eyes of Mesmero.  
  
"My Master requires the presence of his Herald."  
  
Inside the house, the phone rang repeatedly.  
  
**  
  
"He's not there," Wolverine hung up. "I think we were too late."  
  
"Oh no, Warren," Rogue bit her lip. "Wait. Could we track _him_, since we can't track Pocky?"  
  
"Who?" Erik stared at her.  
  
"Pocky. Wanda came up with it."  
  
"Oh, of course, let's refer to the most powerful mutant in the world as a Japanese biscuit," Erik glared at Wanda.  
  
"Well we'd have called him 'Buckethead' but it was already taken," she deadpanned.  
  
The entire mutant population of the Xavier mansion was currently in the main meeting room. It was a bit cramped, and the smokers were sulking, but generally everyone was behaving. Ideas had been thrown out from all sides but so far nothing useful had been suggested. Xavier was once more trying to track Apocalypse with Cerebro.  
  
"I think Rogue's come up with the best idea yet," Wolverine said. "I'll go pass it on to Chuck. You guys keep thinking."  
  
"So," said Ray, "What exactly are we gonna do once, if, we defeat Apocalypse? I mean, are we going to kill him? _Can_ we kill him?" He looked at Irene.  
  
"It is unlikely," she said after a short pause.  
  
"Unknown, try again later," Sam muttered to Roberto. "My magic eightball would be better in this case."  
  
"Well if we can't kill him," said Scott, "I suppose we have to get him back in the chamber."  
  
"Oh is _that_ all," said Lance. "Piece of cake. NOT!"  
  
"And isn't the chamber, like, unsealed now? And wouldn't work?" Kitty pointed out. "Do we have to like, build a new one? And how do we that?" She looked at Beast. "You read all the hieroglyphics right, Dr McCoy?"  
  
"Well, theoretically, I suppose it is possible," he mused. "But we'd need a combination of mechanical know-how and magic."  
  
"Oh, well if you need magic," Wanda smirked, "Hello, Scarlet Witch here."  
  
"Um, without wishing to be in any way insulting, we need warding spells and someone with more experience than you have," Hank said delicately.  
  
Everyone held their breath waiting for Wanda to go ballistic.  
  
"I suppose you have a point," she said at long last, surprising everyone. "In that case, what about Agatha Harkness, the woman who taught me?"  
  
"Now _that_ is a good idea," Pietro said. "Do you remember how to get in touch with her?"  
  
"Uhhh..."  
  
"I know Agatha," Irene spoke up. "She is an old friend of mine and Raven's."  
  
"And on that note, what are we going to do about my mother?"  
  
Everyone turned to look at Kurt.  
  
"I don't know blue boy, she makes a pretty good garden ornament," Tabitha said with a laugh.  
  
"That is not funny," Kurt said flatly.  
  
"Oh. Okay."  
  
"Don't worry Kurt," Scott said comfortingly. "We'll figure out something. For now, let's worry about Apocalypse. I think Mystique is safe enough as she is."  
  
"But we don't know if she's dead or alive."  
  
"She's alive. Just dormant." Irene told him. "Do not fear, you will see her again."  
  
"We should just leave her as she is," Rogue's voice was low and fierce. "She deserves everything that happened to her. _everything_!"  
  
Kurt gave her a pained look. "Rogue. you don't mean that, she's our mother!"  
  
She looked away, her expression thunderous. "She screwed up my life, Kurt. she helped Apocalypse wake up. Ah hate her."  
  
"Rogue." Kurt started to try and reason with her, but Irene laid a hand on his arm and shook her head.  
  
Beneath the table, Erik gripped Rogue's hand and squeezed it gently.  
  
"So, we ask Agatha Harkness for the magical support, but who will construct the chamber? You. Hank?" Storm asked in the uncomfortable silence that followed.  
  
"I'd like to say yes, but I cannot do it alone, not in such a short space of time," Beast said reluctantly.  
  
"Forge!" Kurt shouted. "That guy knows _everything_ about machines. _And_ he owes us."  
  
"Forge is an excellent idea," Storm nodded. "I will go and call him immediately." She turned to leave just as Wolverine came back.  
  
"Chuck managed to pick up some of Angel's trail. He was heading towards Egypt."  
  
"Oh great, and I'd only just gotten the last of the sand out of my uniform," Kitty moaned.  
  
"Do we know _where_ in Egypt?"  
  
"No. Worthington's mind was blocked just before he entered the country." Wolverine looked grim. "We're just gonna have to handle this the old- fashioned way - with our eyes and our ears."  
  
"So you're saying that we, all of us, have to go to Egypt and scour the entire country?!"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Oh. Just checking."  
  
"Yeah!" Jamie yelled. "Field trip!"  
  
"You're not going!"  
  
"Yes I am!" He said. "You need everybody you can get. And there can be more of me than there are of you. I can search the whole country by myself!"  
  
Even Logan smiled slightly at this. "You're on, kid. But this ain't no field trip. This is serious, this isn't a game, and if any of you are going to treat it like one then you're staying behind however useful your powers would be!"  
  
There was a solemn silence as his words sank in and all the mutants nodded their understanding.  
  
"Alright," Wolverine clapped his hands together. "Everyone get some sleep. We're going to be leaving at 4 am in the morning and you all need to be ready for anything. Get to bed!"  
  
"4 am?" The wails rose from multiple throats.  
  
"Good night all!" Wolverine smirked and waved them out.  
  
Xavier and Storm arrived just as the last few were leaving. Only Wolverine, Destiny and Beast remained in the meeting room.  
  
"I have called Forge, and he is ready to help," Storm said.  
  
"So is Agatha," Irene said calmly.  
  
"How do you know?" Beast asked. "You haven't called her yet."  
  
Irene smiled slightly.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"We'll divide into three teams," Logan outlined his plan of attack. "Me, Storm and Erik as team leaders."  
  
"Erik?" Ororo raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure, Logan?"  
  
"The Acolytes are more likely to obey him," Logan explained. "And he wants to destroy Apocalypse as much as all of us, I think we can trust him."  
  
"I'm not arguing with you there," Ororo smiled slightly. "I'm just surprised that you suggested it."  
  
"AH!" Irene screamed and clutched her head.  
  
"What can you see?" Xavier demanded.  
  
Irene sobbed. "Apocalypse has called his Horsemen, and three have come gladly. He now casts his eye towards the last." Destiny raised her sightless eyes and looked straight at Xavier. "You must not let Rogue go on the mission."  
  
"Rogue is one of the Horsemen?" Beast said incredulously. "Why didn't he grab her at the beginning?"  
  
"He is not omnipotent," Irene was starting to calm down. "It was not until he utilised the abilities of his vessel that he located them."  
  
"The cerebral-interface!" Xavier realised. "Of course, it must act like Cerebro."  
  
"So he went scanning for four powerful mutants?" Wolverine cursed. "Shit."  
  
"You cannot let her go on the mission tomorrow," Irene repeated. "It would be exactly what he wants."  
  
"Yeah, but at least we'd know where she was. I have a bad feeling about just leaving her behind. Especially with Mesmero on the loose. If we give her a mental block tomorrow, and dump her with Erik's team, he'll make sure that nothing happens to her. I trust him with that," Wolverine argued.  
  
Storm looked at Irene, "Your words make sense Logan, but I do not feel comfortable sending Rogue to certain danger."  
  
"Nothing is certain," Irene tilted her head. "It is possible she may tip the balance in your favour," a small smile curved her lips. "And she will not take kindly to being told to stay behind."  
  
"Ain't that the truth," Logan muttered.  
  
Xavier exhaled slowly. "As reluctant as I am to put Rogue through another trial, I agree with you, Logan. She will go with the rest."  
  
***  
  
In the rose garden, Erik sat in the darkness, feeling the unusual, and unwelcome prick of his conscience. *If I had listened to Charles and not destroyed that spider guardian. Apocalypse would not be threatening us now. Rogue would not have been hurt, again.*  
  
"You're supposed to be sleeping," a voice intruded on his thoughts. Rogue sat down on the bench beside him. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Rogue." he could barely see her, but his hand reached out and touched hers. "I am sorry."  
  
"Sorry? For what?" she sounded baffled. "Don't tell me ya going to do something crazy and this is an advance apology!"  
  
"No, I'm apologising for my reckless actions that led to the current state of affairs."  
  
Rogue sighed. "Erik, if it hadn't happened one way it would've happened another," she laid her head on his shoulder. "Ah don't blame you one bit, okay? Ah _know_ you thought you were doing the right thing at the time."  
  
He put his arm around her shoulders, hugging her to him, feeling grateful for this private time with her. "Thank you, Rogue. Your words mean more to me than I can express."  
  
"You could give it a _try_ though," she snuggled closer. "After all, we may die tomorrow."  
  
"Oh I see," he smiled gently. "Very well, have I told you lately how beautiful you are?"  
  
"You've _never_ told me how beautiful I am."  
  
"A terrible oversight. Allow me to repair it."  
  
**  
  
"Hey, when do we get the movie on this flight?" Bobby yelled.  
  
"How can you be so energetic?" Amara moaned. "It's barely dawn."  
  
"Maybe Bobby has a point," said Storm. "It would be educational for them to view the news."  
  
"News?!" Bobby protested.  
  
Smiling, Storm ignored him and activated the TV screens. "We should be able to pick up BBC news."  
  
Behind Bobby, Erik and Rogue snickered as the younger mutant continued his loud complaints.  
  
"... the mysterious happenings in Cairo and Aswan continue..."  
  
Dead silence fell in the jet.  
  
"Turn it up please Ororo," Xavier requested, leaning forward, eyes intent on the screen.  
  
"Crops have literally turned to dust in the fields, creating a panic that famine will hit Egypt's population."  
  
"Famine?" Sam asked weakly.  
  
"There has also been outbursts of extreme violence in the streets of Aswan. Several people have been killed and the violence seems to be escalating. Downtown Aswan looks like a war zone."  
  
"War?" Roberto gulped.  
  
"And a mysterious new plague has broken out at Cairo's most exclusive hotel. Doctors are baffled."  
  
"And a plague," groaned Evan.  
  
"Pestilence actually, but yes," Xavier said. His eyes met Logan's. //That leaves Death.// Both of them casually glanced at Rogue.  
  
On the screen, the news reporter was handed a piece of paper. She frowned at it and then looked up. "We have just received a breaking news report. We will now cut live to Cairo, where a mysterious figure has appeared in the skies."  
  
"Oh crap," said Bobby as Angel appeared on the screen.  
  
Warren hovered in the air, clothed in robes of white and blue. "People of the world, the day of the Apocalypse has come!" He bellowed, his voice seemingly amplified. "And he shall have dominion over all! Bow down before his might. Accept your fate. The strong will survive and the weak will perish."  
  
"Man, who does this guy's material?" Kitty complained.  
  
"Kitty, that's not important right now," Scott snapped. "What is important is that we have to stop this."  
  
"Okay, so the 'to-do' list is as follows: find Apocalypse, defeat Apocalypse, save the world," Bobby ticked them off on his fingers and looked up. "No problem."  
  
Roberto nudged Sam. "Hey, I just had a thought."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Well if the cameras are there, and _we're_ there, don't you think people might notice?"  
  
"Roberto, Apocalypse has basically announced mutants to the world anyhow. We might as well show them that there are some good ones."  
  
On the TV screens, something new was happening. Behind Angel rose the triangular shape of the alien vessel. Slowly it opened, revealing the tall figure of Apocalypse.  
  
"I am the Alpha and the Omega. I am the morning and the evening star! You will bow down before me! I am... Apocalypse!"  
  
"And we are in trouble."  
  
To be continued... 


	12. Chapter 11: The battle over Cairo

An X-Men: Evolution Fanfiction  
  
By Jaelle and Orla  
  
Chapter Twelve: Disclaimer: All belongs to Marvel. etc, etc, etc. Damn it all.  
  
Authors' note: When this part was written (and the ones prior) we had not yet seen the 4th season of X-Men Evolution so naturally our take on this story is quite different. Our Apocalypse is a mixture of the Evolution one and the one from the X-Men comics.  
  
Cairo:  
  
Pandemonium reigned in the streets of Cairo as people fled from the figure of Apocalypse hovering in the sky. All save a select few.  
  
"Look, up in the sky!" Bobby said sourly.  
  
"It's a bird," said Ray.  
  
"It's a plane," said Roberto.  
  
"No, it's a bloody great big blue mutant!" Pyro finished. "Can we get on with it?"  
  
"Do NOT set fire to the city!" Erik scowled at him.  
  
"Spoilsport," Pyro kicked a stone.  
  
"This is not good," Storm looked around, "we need to calm people and evacuate the area." She looked at Wolverine and Erik. "My team can handle that."  
  
"Go right ahead," Logan said, barely avoiding being trampled by several panicked storekeepers and a camel. "My team will collect Angel. Sam, you're up!"  
  
"Cool!" Sam brightened.  
  
"Try not to get killed," Logan said wearily.  
  
"Ah'll be fine! Ah'm invulnerable when Ah'm blasting, remember?"  
  
Logan nodded and waved his team forward, "Alright people, try not to injure him too badly."  
  
"So what do we do?" said Kurt, as Logan's team left.  
  
"Well, there's always Apocalypse," Gambit pointed out.  
  
"So, you would dare to oppose our Great Lord?" a new voice boomed from behind them.  
  
Erik's team turned to see three figures standing before them.  
  
The speaker was a tall, broad-shouldered man with chalk-white skin and red eyes. On his left was a blonde woman dressed entirely in white. And on his right was a young boy with haunted eyes.  
  
"Let me guess, you're the Horsemen?" Pietro asked. "Or should that be Horsepeople?"  
  
"This is not the time to be politically correct," Kurt said, eyeing the Horsemen warily. "These people mean business."  
  
The blonde woman smiled and extended a hand. "Don't you feel the urge to fight?" She asked sweetly.  
  
The group looked at each other. "Uhhh... no?" Kurt said.  
  
"Well often I have the urge to strangle Pyro in his sleep," Gambit said cheerfully. "But chere, I'm a lover, not a fighter."  
  
Pietro and Kurt made gagging noises.  
  
"Who writes your dialogue?" Rogue demanded. "Because your pick-up lines need work!"  
  
War's expression darkened and a look of intense concentration twisted her face.  
  
"It won't work," said Erik. "Just give it up!"  
  
"Oh, the mental blocks! Of course!" Colossus exclaimed.  
  
Erik sighed. "I was trying to keep that a secret Colossus."  
  
"Oh."  
  
War glared at them. "There are other ways," she hissed. "My Lord Apocalypse has made my powers stronger than ever!"  
  
Around them rocks, pots, and other objects shuddered and rose into the air.  
  
"Oh great, telekinetic, wonderful," Pietro sighed. "Where's Jean when you need her?"  
  
"ATTACK!" Pestilence roared, and charged.  
  
"Bow to our Lord! Behold his glory!" Angel continued his slow progress across the city of Cairo, shouting out the word of Apocalypse. "Tremble before him! He is..."  
  
"Shut up!" Sam yelled as he cannonballed into the other man. "I liked you better when you were just a playboy pretty boy!"  
  
"How dare you strike His herald?" Angel twisted out of Sam's grip. He drew a sword from a hidden sheath on his back and struck at the young mutant.  
  
Sam yipped as the sword impacted on his blast shield, and shattered. "Phew."  
  
Angel flew back, a frown on his face.  
  
"Now be a good boy Warren and just come down," Sam said, curving around to tackle him again.  
  
"NEVER!" Warren dodged. "I will never abandon our Lord!"  
  
"Oh well, Ah asked you nice," Sam shrugged as he went past. "Bobby! You're up!"  
  
Down on the ground, Bobby grinned and sent a lasso of ice shooting towards Warren, entrapping the other mutant and started to pull him down.  
  
"NO!" Warren struggled desperately.  
  
"Unhand my Herald!"  
  
"Uh-oh," Kitty gulped as Apocalypse appeared. "I don't think he's happy."  
  
Logan growled. "Damn... Sam! Get your butt down here!" he ordered.  
  
But Sam wasn't listening. Taking a deep breath, he cannoned into Apocalypse with all his power.  
  
To no effect.  
  
"Young fool!" unharmed, Apocalypse swatted Sam aside, sending the young mutant careening head-first into a building with a huge crash.  
  
Logan swore. "Ray, Roberto... keep him busy," he ordered quickly. "But don't get too close. Jamie, Kitty..."  
  
"We'll check on Sam!" Kitty said and ran off immediately with Jamie in tow.  
  
Ray and Roberto did their best, attacking Apocalypse with everything they had, but to no avail. Apocalypse deflected their attacks with almost insulting ease, seemingly protected from their powers.  
  
Bobby stumbled back. "I'm iced-out..." he gasped, looking at Wolverine. "What do we do? Nothing affects him!"  
  
Logan snarled. "Why the f..." his eyes widened as a thought occurred to him. "Rogue... he absorbed all our powers from her..."  
  
"Then... how do we defeat him?" Bobby looked around. Ray was still firing away desperately, Roberto was unconscious and Kitty had yet to return with Sam and Jamie.  
  
"This is not how we planned it..." Wolverine growled. "Where's Storm? They should've evacuated the area by now... and Erik's team? Where the hell are they?"  
  
Logan,Xavier's voice echoed in his mind. Storm's team is on their way. Erik's team has encountered a slight problem...  
  
"Bloody hell!" Pyro set a jet of flame shooting towards War and watched in exasperation as she deflected it, setting another building on fire.  
  
"What did I say about not setting the city on fire?" Erik roared.  
  
"It's not MY fault!!" Pyro yelled. "Sh...!" he yelled as a vegetable cart hurtled towards him. Luckily Kurt grabbed him and they teleported out of the way.  
  
Erik didn't respond, he was too busy maintaining a magnetic shield around his team, deflecting the barrage Pestilence was hurling at them. Also, his attention was on the young Famine who had already proved to be a dangerous adversary despite his appearance. Apparently the boy had the power to reduce organic matter to dust. Pietro had brushed against him and was now lacking one sleeve of his costume. Erik hadn't seen what this power would do to humans and didn't want to find out. To make matters worse, the minions had minions.  
  
"Did this guy watch too many horror films as a child or something?" Rogue complained as a figure that could only be described as a zombie mummy lurched towards her. She threw an explosive at it. "I mean, ew."  
  
"Tellmeaboutit," Pietro commented as he flashed past. "And my costume's ruined!"  
  
"Too bad it wasn't your mouth," Rogue muttered, leaping away from another two zombies. "Little help here!"  
  
Colossus rushed up and promptly reduced the zombies to small pieces.  
  
Rogue looked at the remains. "Yuck."  
  
Rogue,Xavier's voice sounded in her mind. I can't contact Erik, is he wearing his helmet again?  
  
Rogue glanced at where Erik was battling Pestilence, along with Gambit.  
  
Yeah, but he kind of needs it right now. We're under attack from all three of the Horsemen. Aren't there supposed to be four of them... AH!  
  
Rogue? ROGUE!  
  
Rogue screeched as Famine's hand came down on her arm, and her clothing began to crumble away. She wrenched away and grabbed his hand involuntarily. Her gloves dissolved and suddenly her bare skin met his.  
  
They both screamed.  
  
Scott ran around a corner at a speed that almost matched Pietro's. His heart was hammering in his chest, but he pressed on. Behind him were Evan, Todd, Amara and Rahne (in her wolf form), above flew Storm and Jean. They could see Apocalypse ahead, and the flashes of light indicating their friends attacks. Scott could see the flashes were getting weaker and weaker.  
  
Scott!Xavier's voice in his mind startled him and he faltered slightly.  
  
Professor? We're on our way to help Logan...  
  
Send someone to help Erik's team... they're pinned down by the Horsemen.  
  
Scott swore. "Evan! Rahne! You need to help Erik's team!" he yelled. "Professor X will give you directions!"  
  
The two younger mutants nodded and peeled away from the main group, heading to the right. Scott continued his run and arrived just in time to see Ray collapse, completely spent.  
  
Immediately Scott sent a full force eye-beam at Apocalypse.  
  
"You are all fools," the blue mutant sneered. "You cannot defeat me. I am Apocalypse, I am invincible!"  
  
"Forgive us if we still try," Storm sent a barrage of lightening at him.  
  
"I'm so glad to see you guys!" Kitty emerged from a building. "What does it take to stop this guy?"  
  
"Let me try," said Amara, powering up.  
  
"Are you alright, Kitty?" Scott asked quickly.  
  
"I'm fine," she said. "But Sam's out cold, I can't move him... Jamie's with him."  
  
"Roberto's out too," Logan limped up, evidence of an ugly fight still present on his face. "Ray and Bobby are pretty much drained."  
  
"This is not going according to the plan," Scott snarled. "We were supposed to grab Warren, take down the Horsemen, and then attack Apocalypse all at once!"  
  
"When does anything ever go according to plan?" Logan pointed out. "Welcome to the real world kid. Jean, see if you can get Warren. At least we can do something about him. Scott, Amara, back up Storm."  
  
"What do you want me to do, yo?" Toad asked.  
  
They all looked at him.  
  
"Just... try not to get killed."  
  
"I can do that."  
  
Erik flinched as he heard Rogue scream. It nearly cost him his head as Pestilence swung a huge fist towards him. He threw the man back with a magnetic pulse and looked over his shoulder.  
  
"Oh no..."  
  
Rogue and Famine's hands were locked together. Both had expressions of extreme pain on their faces. To one side, Kurt was trying to tug Rogue loose, but they seemed trapped in some sort of power feedback.  
  
"Of course," Erik murmured. "Touch. Both activated by touch..."  
  
"WATCH OUT!" Pietro yelled. Running over, he grabbed Erik and threw them both clear as a huge boulder smashed onto the spot where Erik had been standing. "Gambit! Pyro! Do something about that woman!"  
  
Gambit sighed and caught War's eyes. "Why fight me, chere?" He smiled, exerting all his fascination power. "We could dance a better dance than this."  
  
It was enough to make her hesitate, long enough for Colossus to slam into her, knocking her out.  
  
"She's down!" The large mutant called, before wading back into the zombies. Gambit nodded and waited until his compatriot's attention was elsewhere before wandering over to the fallen woman and smacking her hard in the head twice with his staff.  
  
"Now she's down," he murmured. "Sorry chere, but you can't be too careful in this business."  
  
"Good," Pyro said. "Now can we take the big guy down please?" He was slowly backing up in the face of Pestilence's attacks.  
  
"On my way to help you mon ami!"  
  
Kurt tried once more to pull Rogue free of her lethal grip on Famine. "Rogue! Rogue! You have to let go!" He called. Please, please don't let her get stuck with these powers permanently, he prayed.  
  
"Needsomehelp?" Pietro ran over, Erik flying behind.  
  
"I can't get her loose!" Kurt wailed.  
  
"Break his fingers," said Erik flatly.  
  
"I can't do that!" Kurt was shocked.  
  
"Then I will," Erik reached out, creating a magnetic barrier around his gloved hand, and forcibly pried Famine loose. There was an ugly cracking sound as several fingers snapped in the process, but the deathgrip was broken.  
  
The second the two mutants were separated, they both collapsed into unconsciousness.  
  
"I got her!" Pietro grabbed Rogue as she fell, forgetting that his sleeve and glove had been dissolved earlier. Bare skin touched his.  
  
"Oh shi... hey wait a sec." He paused. "She's not absorbing me!"  
  
"Or dissolving you," Kurt said. "Don't drop her, you idiot!" He grabbed Rogue and slowly lowered her to the ground. "Their powers must have cancelled each other out." He checked her pulse. "She seems to be okay."  
  
Erik let out a long breath. "I am tired of this game." Turning, he faced the only remaining Horseman, who was under siege from the Acolytes. "It is time to finish." He gathered all his power and raised his hands.  
  
Metal emerged from every possible area, from the street, from the buildings, even from underground, forming two huge walls on either side of Pestilence. Narrowing his eyes, Erik slammed his hands together. The two walls met.  
  
"Umm..." Kurt stared at the block of metal. "Wow. Remind me not to get you mad."  
  
Erik did not respond to his comment as he gently took Rogue into his arms.  
  
"Let us go and face Apocalypse."  
  
Just as that point, Rahne and Evan arrived.  
  
"We're here to back..." Evan faltered. "Oh."  
  
"Go with Colossus," Erik ordered them. "Make sure the remaining Horsemen will not rise again."  
  
"But not in the way that Pestilence won't rise again!" Kurt added hastily. "Just, you know, lock them up or something?"  
  
"Why, what happened to Pestilence?" Evan asked.  
  
Pietro and Kurt glanced at the large block of metal lying on the ground. "Well, let's just say that he's not going to be getting up any time soon," Pietro said slowly.  
  
"Oh."  
  
Storm continued to hammer Apocalypse with lightning bolt after lightning bolt. Behind her, face twisted into an ugly expression of hatred, Angel hurtled towards her, clearly intent on harm. However, before he could reach her, a powerful, invisible force encircled him, dragging him downwards.  
  
"Got him!" Jean said through gritted teeth. "But he's fighting me."  
  
Angel struggled, managing to stabilise his descent, and even starting to move upwards again. Sweat dripped down Jean's forehead as she fought to hold onto him without hurting him, but she could feel herself weakening against his determined efforts to escape. Suddenly a blast of power surged past her, and encased Angel's wings in ice. With a cry of rage the winged mutant tumbled to the ground, his fall cushioned only by Jean's telekinesis.  
  
Bobby smiled weakly. "Got him," he said, slumping to his knees. "Sorry I can't freeze him totally though."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Jean said. "With his wings trapped he's pretty much stuck."  
  
"Until the ice melts," a harsh voice pointed out.  
  
Jean and Bobby turned to see Erik and his team approaching, Rogue carried in Erik's arms.  
  
"Thank God you're here," Jean said. "We really..."  
  
"Gambit, make sure Angel stays down," Erik ordered, ignoring her. "Pyro, remember how I told you not to cut loose?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I take it back. He's all yours."  
  
"All riiightt!!!" Pyro exulted. He ran into a building, making his way up to the roof so that he could get a clear shot.  
  
"Pietro, go with him and keep him out of trouble."  
  
Pietro blurred off, muttering something about "impossible".  
  
"Hey blue guy! Take some of this!" Pyro screeched from the roof, letting loose with a huge burst of fire.  
  
"Um, excuse me," said Jean. "Who made you boss?"  
  
Erik looked coldly at her. "Do you want to defeat him, or not? We have no time to be nice. And in answer to your question, Xavier did. This is my team." He lowered Rogue gently to the ground, and tenderly brushed her hair out of her face.  
  
Jean and Bobby looked at the unconscious girl, glanced at each other and plastered helpful expressions on their faces. "What do you need us to do Erik?"  
  
Behind Erik, Kurt gave them both a big thumbs up and mouthed, "Good plan."  
  
"Kurt, go find the others, we need to enact the plan now."  
  
"I'm on my way!" Kurt saluted and disappeared.  
  
"Rahne, see if you can find any of our fallen."  
  
The wolf growled and ran off. Erik looked over at Bobby. "Iceman, is your power completely drained?"  
  
Bobby smiled weakly. "I can go on a bit longer. If you let me rest a few minutes I should be fine."  
  
"Good," Erik nodded. He looked up into the sky where Apocalypse still battled the others. "We need to bring him down to the ground."  
  
"Scott!" Kurt teleported near to his friend. "Erik's rallying the others, can you keep him busy for another couple of minutes?"  
  
"Barely," Scott replied. "Tell him to hurry."  
  
"I don't have to tell him, believe me," Kurt replied. "Just be ready."  
  
He ported away.  
  
"ERIK!" A chorus of voices sounded out.  
  
Erik turned to see a small army of Jamies running towards him, being led by a wolf.  
  
"We're so glad you're okay! You're not injured are you? What's going on?" Jamies pelted him with question. He raised a hand and they quietened. "You need to move back out of range."  
  
"Okay, but we brought Cannonball back!" One of them piped up, and seven or so Jamies moved forward, carrying Cannonball, who was awake and looking rather miffed.  
  
"Ah'm not a show and tell toy, put me down!"  
  
"Can you fight?" Erik demanded.  
  
"Just point me in the right direction," Sam responded.  
  
Kurt appeared next to him. "Wolverine's bringing the others. Scott, Amara, and Storm are keeping him busy, but they don't have much time left."  
  
"What's the plan bub?" Wolverine ran over to Erik.  
  
"We bring him down," Erik said grimly. "Jamie, I need you to look after Rogue and Roberto."  
  
"YES SIR!" Yelled all the Jamies.  
  
Erik activated a comm link. "Charles, are you ready?"  
  
"Give the word Erik."  
  
Erik looked around at his assembled forces. "NOW!"  
  
"Fools! You know that you have no chance!" Apocalypse swatted away yet another one of Pyro's fire blasts. "Bow down before me and I may yet allow you to live, serving me. I..."  
  
His words were cut off by a roar and an explosion as a missile impacted on his back. For a brief moment, he wavered, clearly stunned.  
  
"Sam! Go!" Jean yelled through her comm link from her seat in the X-Jet. She looked at Xavier. "Another missile?"  
  
He nodded grimly. "Sam will be alright."  
  
Apocalypse soon found himself under attack from a combination of telekenesis, missiles and Cannonball. Roaring with rage, he fought them off, but they attacked again and again, joined by Storm's lightning bolts, Scott's eye-blasts and Pyro's fire. Slowly they forced him lower.  
  
"Insignificant insects!"  
  
Flinging his arms wide, Apocalypse unleashed a burst of pure energy that flattened everything in its path and sent the X-jet spinning away.  
  
"Get down!" roared Erik.  
  
Everybody flung themselves to the ground as the wave roared over them. High above, Pietro grabbed Pyro and sprinted out of the building as it collapsed into rubble. Invulnerable within his blast field, Cannonball could not stop himself from being forced back, but managed to grab Storm and get to safety.  
  
"You will pay for your defiance!" Apocalypse stood at ground zero, glaring at Erik and the others as they got to their feet.  
  
"Maybe, but we're going to make you work for it," Gambit replied with a smirk.  
  
"And who among you is going to stop me?" Apocalypse sneered.  
  
A huge metal figure crashed into him, knocking him down.  
  
Colossus loomed over him. "I am Colossus," he introduced himself.  
  
"And I'm Wolverine."  
  
Apocalypse barely avoided the flashing claws. Logan grinned at him.  
  
"Does that answer your question, bub?"  
  
"Insects! Begone!" Apocalypse sent Wolverine and Colossus tumbling back.  
  
"Together people, we attack together," Erik reminded them all.  
  
"When?"  
  
"Now."  
  
Rogue slowly stirred and opened her eyes. "Ow..."  
  
"Are you okay?" Two Jamies peered at her worriedly.  
  
"I don't know, Ah'm seeing double."  
  
"Oh, that's just us," the Jamies nodded.  
  
"Right." Rogue sat up, rubbing her head. "What's going... oh." Her eyes widened as she stared at the pitched battle taking place several blocks away. "What happened to the city? Where are we?"  
  
"Apocalypse, and on top of a building just outside of the damaged area," Jamie replied.  
  
"We carried you up here!" Another one said proudly.  
  
"Roberto too," another piped up.  
  
"Not Toad though, he just came with us," the first one added.  
  
"Aw man, our guys are getting creamed," Toad moaned.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"Well, they told me not to get killed, so here I am, not getting killed."  
  
Rogue sighed. "Typical." She got slowly to her feet. "Well, Ah guess they need mah help." She looked at the unconscious Roberto. "Ah'm sorry about this, but Ah need it more than you do." She laid her hands on his face. "Just a touch more... there."  
  
She lifted her arms to the sun and smiled as power flowed through her, washing over her as a black fire. "Stay safe up here, Ah'll be..."  
  
"Ummm, hey Rogue?"  
  
"Yeah, what?"  
  
Toad fidgeted and held out a hand. "Take my powers too."  
  
Rogue stared at him. "What for?"  
  
Toad shrugged. "I dunno, maybe it will come in handy. I'm pretty agile you know."  
  
Rogue's face softened. "Thanks Toad."  
  
"Do I get a kiss with that?" He asked hopefully.  
  
"Ah'm not that grateful. Besides Erik would kill you," she grinned  
  
"Oh yeah, don't kiss me then."  
  
Rogue examined his crestfallen expression and sighed. She bent down and quickly kissed him on the cheek.  
  
Toad convulsed and collapsed, smiling slightly.  
  
"Do you want mine too?" Jamie offered.  
  
"No thanks, we need someone to look after these two, and you're it," Rogue smiled gently at him. "Be careful!"  
  
"You too!"  
  
Apocalypse tossed Quicksilver aside and laughed. "You cannot win, give up now."  
  
A black figure barrelled into him, sending him skidding backwards. He swiped at it, and it leapt over him and viciously kicked him from behind.  
  
"Hi sugar!" Rogue grinned. "We're not the giving up types. We're more the kicking your butt types." She dodged another power blast. "In fact, Ah'm the taking your power and kicking your butt type." She grabbed his arm.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
"Oh shoot."  
  
"Rogue, get back!" Scott called out. "Your power can't affect him."  
  
"Well duh! Kind of noticed that!"  
  
Apocalypse stared at her. "You are the one who woke me."  
  
"Yeah, don't remind me," Rogue groaned, leaping backwards. "Ah'm guilt- tripping about that enough already."  
  
"You are the one I have searched for," Apocalypse smiled triumphantly. "At last! My final Horseman! Death, arise! You shall be mine!"  
  
"Excuse me?" Rogue exclaimed.  
  
"EXCUSE ME?!" Erik yelled from the sidelines. "Get away from her!" He sent a pulse of magnetic energy towards Apocalypse, who brushed it aside.  
  
"You are mine! You are Death." Apocalypse advanced on Rogue, shrugging off all the others attempts to stop him. Rogue snarled and punched him with all of Roberto's power, but didn't leave a mark. She pulled her hand back for another punch, and felt the last of her borrowed power drain away.  
  
"Shit."  
  
She backed away. "Um... Ah don't want to be Death, thank you very much. Ah may dress like a Goth, but it's really not my thing."  
  
"It is your destiny."  
  
"Well thank you Darth Apocalypse, but mah Destiny is actually somewhere else, and Ah think she'd object to me being Death."  
  
"You spurn your rightful calling?"  
  
"Um, yes."  
  
"Then die."  
  
Apocalypse gestured and Rogue suddenly found herself flying backwards, smashing her into the remains of a wall. The wall collapsed on her impact, covering her with fragments of mud brick, canvas and wood.  
  
"Such is the fate of all those who defy the will of Apocalypse!"  
  
"NO! ROGUE!" Kurt screamed, teleporting over the pile of debris covering his sister. "Rogue! Speak to me! Rogue!"  
  
"Oh my God," Kitty breathed.  
  
"I can't hear her," Jean said to Scott.  
  
"Dead?" Scott asked in a stunned voice.  
  
Gambit and Colossus both turned to look at Erik.  
  
Visible magnetic energy crackled all over his body. His eyes glowed blue, and his face looked like it had been carved from marble. He did not need to articulate his feelings of rage and loss, the air vibrated with the emotions.  
  
"Apocalypse," he said quietly. "You're going to die now." He walked towards Apocalypse, the others moving out of his path as he advanced.  
  
Erik, don't! It's suicide!Xavier yelled mentally. He tried to reach inside his friends mind to calm him down, but the rage was so intense that he could not reach him.  
  
Apocalypse sneered in the face of Magneto's anger. "This is why I will always triumph over insects like you. You allow your feelings to rule you, and that makes you weak."  
  
"Shut... the hell... up," Magneto said pleasantly, before he struck out with his fist, magnetic power surging from it. The punch sent Apocalypse tumbling to the ground.  
  
Apocalypse stared up at the man who had just knocked him down, and Magneto smiled coldly.  
  
"Impossible, how can you hurt me? I should have the ability to match your power!"  
  
"Newsflash, Rogue didn't manage to get my power," Magneto raised his hands and made a ripping gesture and Apocalypse screamed as he was torn in half.  
  
"EW!!!" Kitty screamed.  
  
"GO ERIK!" Kurt howled, from where he was digging Rogue out. "Kill that bastard!"  
  
Magneto stood over Apocalypses body. "You weren't that tough," he said scornfully.  
  
Mocking laughter filled the air as Apocalypse's body reformed and the blue mutant once again stood whole. "Did you really think it would be that easy? I am Apocalypse! I am the strongest."  
  
"We'll see," Magneto replied, lashing out with another burst of power. "If I have to turn the world off its axis and destroy the magnetic poles to get rid of you, then I will."  
  
"I don't think he's following the plan anymore," Bobby said.  
  
"I've got her!" Kurt yelled. Ray and Sam joined him, pulling Rogue out of the debris.  
  
"She's alive!" Ray breathed, seeing Rogue's chest rise and fall with slow, shallow breaths.  
  
"Don't tell Erik yet," Kurt said fiercely, holding his sister to him protectively, his eyes fixed on the continuing battle between Magneto and Apocalypse. "I want him to take that son of a bitch down!"  
  
No one else could get close to the combatants now. The air around them crackled with deadly energy and in the centre Magneto threw everything he had at Apocalypse and more. The ancient mutant fought back, but it was clear that Magneto's attacks were causing him a great deal of pain and forcing him to retreat. With a howl of rage, Apocalypse sent a concentrated burst of energy at Magneto, enough to punch a hole through a man's body. Only Magneto's shields saved him, but he was sent hurtling back several metres, smashing into Colossus.  
  
"Attack!" Scott yelled, ripping off his visor and cutting loose. Around him the others poured their energy and power into one last effort, forcing the weakened Apocalypse back.  
  
"This is not the end!" Apocalypse cried and fled into the sky, still barraged by attacks, and vanished into his ship. The vessel glowed and then was gone.  
  
"We did it..." breathed Jean.  
  
Professor? Have you...?  
  
Yes, Scott. Hank is prepared.  
  
"All right, people!" Scott turned to his weary comrades. "It's not over yet."  
  
"No," Erik got to his feet. "Now we have to finish it," he gestured and his helmet flew into his hands. "For Rogue's sake, I will not let him succeed."  
  
"That's lovely, sugar..."  
  
"Rogue, I..." his eyes widened and he turned to see Rogue being supported by Sam and Ray. She smiled weakly. "Guess what, Ah'm alive."  
  
Without a word, Erik strode over and took her in his arms, heedless of the onlookers. "I thought I'd lost you..." he murmured into her hair.  
  
"Not that easy," she said, laying her head on his chest. "Now... let's finish this."  
  
to be concluded... 


	13. Chapter 12: The showdown

Chapter Twelve  
  
-------  
  
Wanda paced angrily at the opening of the cave.  
  
"I hate waiting," she said, stomping backwards and forwards.  
  
Wanda paced back and forth on the ledge in front of Apocalypse's tomb, apparently heedless of the cold, her eyes on the sky. Where are they? Where are they? She thought over and over again. What's taking so long? Did they succeed or... Wanda shook her head. She didn't want to think about the negative possibilities even though she felt the plan that had been hastily cooked up was full of holes and based on a lot of probabilities. Even though Destiny had predicted that, if weakened, Apocalypse would return to his place of awakening to rejuvenate himself, she didn't fully trust the old woman's prophecies.  
  
"Wanda, come inside," Lance called from the cave that served as the threshold to the tomb. "It's freezing out there!"  
  
"I'm fine," Wanda snarled for the sixth time and continued to pace. "How're they doing in there?"  
  
There was a brief pause and a scuffling sound and then Lance popped his head outside again. "Forge says the chamber is nearly complete so we're almost ready."  
  
"Almost," Wanda muttered hollowly. She'd only met the young mutant inventor named Forge for the first time on this mission and was not as optimistic as the others that he (and Beast) could restore Apocalypse's chamber so that it could once again hold the ancient mutant.  
  
Lance shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I mean, it looks like things are going to plan. We haven't heard from the others yet, but that's good, right? So you should just relax. I'm sure they're all fine."  
  
Wanda rolled her eyes as his rather pathetic leadership speech, but then smiled at him briefly. "Thanks," she said. "Nice try."  
  
"Well... hey! Look I'm trying to be... oh shit."  
  
"What?"  
  
Lance pointed at the glowing vessel which was now hovering above them.  
  
"Oh." Wanda said. "Shit."  
  
"HE'S HEEEEREEE!" Lance yelled, and dragged Wanda back into the cave.  
  
"Let me go you idiot! We're supposed to hold him off!" Wanda yelled.  
  
"And let's NOT do that on a ledge on a mountain-top!"  
  
"I'm NOT going to let him set FOOT inside!" She wrenched away and stalked out to meet Apocalypse.  
  
"Oh crap..." Lance followed her.  
  
Wanda stood below the vessel, her arms folded and expression defiant. A door opened and Apocalypse floated out. He stared at the red-clad mutant before him.  
  
"Hi there," Wanda smiled at him. "I just wanted to tell you, if you thought my father and Rogue were bad, you ain't seen NOTHING yet!"  
  
"Can't this thing fly any faster?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I could get out and push."  
  
"Good idea."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Shut up," Erik said, holding Rogue tightly. "We're going as fast as we can. Right Charles? We are going as fast as we can?"  
  
"Yes Erik."  
  
Pietro sighed. "I still could go faster," he muttered under his breath.  
  
"What's our ETA?" Scott asked.  
  
"30 minutes if the engines don't give out on us," Storm replied.  
  
"Well there's a comforting thought," Gambit sighed. "Anyone for a quick round of poker?"  
  
"NO!"  
  
Apocalypse deflected another hexbolt. "Your efforts are futile."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, we will be assimilated," Lance said. "My God, do you all you supervillains get your dialogue from the same damn place?"  
  
"Shut up and hit him," Wanda snapped, firing again.  
  
"Well," said Lance, "the problem there is... he's in the air."  
  
"Fine, I'll get him down then," Wanda snarled, and crooked her fingers towards her.  
  
Apocalypse's eyes widened as he was suddenly dragged downwards. "But... that is impossible!"  
  
"Exactly," Wanda smirked. "Hit it Lance!"  
  
"Let's rock!" Lance brought his foot down as hard as he could, and the mountain shook.  
  
"You DO realise that we are on the edge of tectonic plate, don't you?" Forge had just emerged from behind them, and was clinging to the ground with both hands. "The land here is VERY susceptible to..."  
  
Tonnes of snow, dislodged by the quake, thundered down in a massive avalanche, striking Apocalypse directly and pushing him down the mountain before he could counter it.  
  
"Alright!" Lance yelled. "I got him!"  
  
"Now let's make sure he stays down!" Wanda yelled. And several mountains suddenly lost their peaks.  
  
Behind them, Blob stared out and then went back into the cave.  
  
"Um..." said Forge. "We're ready, by the way."  
  
"Well, looks like there's no point," Wanda said merrily. "He's dead!"  
  
Everyone peered over the edge at the mass of rocks and snow.  
  
"Hmm..." said Forge. "You might be right."  
  
The debris stirred.  
  
"Or not."  
  
"What does it take to KILL this guy?"  
  
"Weren't you listening you idiot?" Jubilee demanded from the entrance of the cave. "He's basically unkillable."  
  
Tabitha emerged and nodded. "Yeah, we may have stopped him for now, but I think it's only gonna be temporary."  
  
"Well that sucks," said Blob.  
  
"Hey, the more we stall him, the more time we give the others to get here," Lance pointed out. "So... start stalling! Wanda! More mountains please!"  
  
Wanda sighed. "Isn't is somebody else's turn? I'm tired."  
  
"I believe that's our cue," Tabitha said, stepping forward and holding out a handful of timebombs. "Jubilee?"  
  
"Right on!"  
  
"Got any twos?"  
  
"This is not the time to be playing 'Go Fish' gentlemen," Erik said sternly. Jamie, Evan and Gambit looked at him innocently.  
  
Gambit smirked, "It's just a technique to relax before the big battle! It's... mental preparation."  
  
"Put the cards away Gambit."  
  
"We are now approaching our destination," Bobby sang out. "Please make sure that your seats are upright and your tray tables are folded away. Thank you for flying mutant air."  
  
"Where's Apocalypse? Do you think we got here before him?" Rahne said, staring out the window.  
  
"Uh... wasn't that a valley before?" Kitty asked, pointing out a flat expanse of snow and rubble.  
  
"Never mind that, everybody out," Scott ordered. "And be quick about it. We don't want the Blackbird to get hit if something pops out of that mess. We don't have any other way to get home."  
  
Five minutes later all those who were uninjured and still capable of battle, had joined Wanda and the others in the cave.  
  
"Where's Apocalypse?" Erik demanded. "How did the battle go? Did all go well?"  
  
"Let me put it this way," Beast replied. "Thanks to Lance and Wanda, well mainly Wanda, it is possible that the Himalayas are no longer the tallest mountain range in the world."  
  
Erik cringed slightly.  
  
"Dat girl has one mean temper," Gambit said, whistling. Erik shot him a frosty look. "Even THINK of hitting on her Gambit and you will find yourself regretting it."  
  
"He's down, but not out," Wanda said, ignoring the others, and panting slightly. "We're all getting low on power though. I hope you guys have some reserves left."  
  
"All we have to do is lure him in," Scott said. "We're aiming for containment, remember?"  
  
"There's not much else we CAN do, idiot," Pietro sneered. "If my father couldn't take him out, no one else can."  
  
"I'm not sure whether to feel happy about that or smack him around the ear," Erik muttered.  
  
"Do both," Rogue advised. "Then we'll all be happy."  
  
The mountain shook.  
  
"It wasn't me!" Lance said.  
  
The rubble blasted apart and Apocalypse emerged, unscathed and furious.  
  
"How DARE you defy the might of Apocalypse?"  
  
"Here we go again..." Bobby sighed.  
  
"ATTACK!"  
  
"Come on!" Kitty grabbed Rogue's hand and dragged her away.  
  
"Wait!"  
  
"Rogue! Remember you're the key to this whole thing!" Kitty pulled her along. "Hurry. You have to be in the inner chamber!"  
  
"Erik!" Rogue yelled.  
  
"Go!" He shouted nobly. "I'll be alright!"  
  
The battle began again, even more intensely. Blasts of power criss-crossed through the chamber. Again Apocalypse was able to deflect or absorb their blasts, and started to launch attacks of his own, specifically at Erik, the one person who had hurt him significantly.  
  
"Try and draw some of his attacks away!" Scott shouted, ripping off his visor and blasting Apocalypse with his full power.  
  
Erik made no comments as all of his power was focused into deflecting Apocalypses attacks. Finally Apocalypse, tiring of this game, sent out a massive pulse blast that knocked everybody aside, and retreated back past the main door and into the large inner chamber.  
  
"Here he comes," whispered Kitty.  
  
"Yay," muttered Rogue unenthusiastically. "Ah thought he'd be weaker by now. How the hell am Ah supposed to stop him if he starts blasting at me?"  
  
Kitty sighed and held her bare hand. "Good luck."  
  
"Kitty, Ah..."  
  
"You have to Rogue, you're the only one. Hurry, we don't have any time left."  
  
Rogue nodded, "Thanks."  
  
"Don't forget me sis, you're gonna need my power too." Kurt leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.  
  
"Danke," Rogue whispered as he collapsed, Kitty a heartbeat behind him. Clenching her fists, Rogue squared her shoulders and looked up at Apocalypse, who was advancing fast on her. "Right."  
  
Apocalypse glanced at her with disinterest, before recognising her. "Have you come to accept my offer, Death?"  
  
"The name is Rogue!" She snarled at him, and charged, teleporting at the last minute to avoid being hit by one of his pulse blasts. Reappearing behind him, she reached out with her bare hands and grabbed for his shoulders. Apocalypse lashed out with his arm, and Rogue managed to phase long enough for the blow to go through her without affect. Already she could feel his power beginning to flow into her, and she grimaced as his thoughts invaded her mind.  
  
One way or another, she thought, Ah'm taking you out!  
  
Apocalypse roared with rage, struggling to free himself from her grip, but the battles he'd already fought had taken their toll and now he was unable to resist her power drain.  
  
Rogue began to scream as the memories and thoughts and the overload of power began to overtake her reason.  
  
NOW!Xavier cried mentally, spurring the others to action. Rock warped around Apocalypse and Rogue, imprisoning the first and jolting the second free. Pietro sped forward, catching Rogue as she fell and spiriting her to safety, as he had already for Kitty and Kurt. Erik stepped up, gathering everything he had for the last attack. Drawing all the metal out of the rocks, he enclosed Apocalypse in a metal cocoon, and sent it hurtling into the sarcophagus, where Forget and Beast, who had snuck in during the battle, were waiting to lock it.  
  
"No!" Apocalypse shouted as he realised what they had done. "I won't be imprisoned again!"  
  
But his cries were too late, as Forge and Beast snapped the lid shut, and Agatha and Wanda cast their spells to seal it.  
  
"Everybody out!" Logan yelled. "We need to close those doors!"  
  
The mutants scrambled for safety as Rogue was led to Mystique's statue by Erik and Logan.  
  
"Sorry to ask you to do this kid," Logan said. "But Agatha says you're the only one who can."  
  
"Huh?" Rogue said vaguely, still reeling from the masses of thoughts and memories she'd taken in just one day.  
  
"To release Mystique, you have to touch her," Logan said. "Just a small touch. That's all you need to break the spell."  
  
"No," Rogue said flatly. "Why should Ah? She deserves this."  
  
"We can't seal Apocalypse without releasing Mystique," Erik said quietly. "I promise, she will pay for what she did."  
  
"Not good enough."  
  
Erik sighed, "Look at it this way. If you release her, she'll owe you a debt, and she'll HATE that."  
  
"You can kick her butt later," Logan added. "Let's deal with Apocalypse first."  
  
For a moment, it looked as though Rogue would refuse, but finally she reached forward one more time, and gently touched Mystique's arm. The statue shuddered and the stone melted away, leaving Mystique screaming. She stopped abruptly and then looked around, removing her hand from the lock.  
  
"What?"  
  
"No time!" Pietro dragged her away, and they all bolted through the doors just before they slammed shut.  
  
"Lock it!" Logan shouted. "LOCK IT!"  
  
Agatha Harkness stepped forward with the modified key and performed the final spell to seal Apocalypse forever.  
  
Silence fell, as they all watched the door anxiously. Nothing moved.  
  
"Is it over?" Kitty asked blearily.  
  
"I think... it might be..." Jean said.  
  
Agatha nodded. "Destiny agrees."  
  
"How do they know that?" Bobby whispered to Scott.  
  
"I don't know. Let's not even ask."  
  
"So it's over..." Kurt tried the words out. "Hey... it's OVER!!!" He spotted Mystique, who was still looking confused. "MOTHER!"  
  
Everyone let out a long sigh of relief, and slumped to the ground.  
  
"I want a hot bath," Jean moaned.  
  
"And a week's worth of sleep," Bobby added.  
  
"And chocolate ice cream," Kitty said.  
  
"We still have to block up the entrance and dispose of the key," Scott reminded them.  
  
Those with enough energy threw things at him. One of them exploded.  
  
Erik cradled Rogue to his chest, "You did it," he murmured. "We're safe."  
  
"WE did it," Rogue corrected. "See, you're not such a villain after all."  
  
"Aww... group hug!" Bobby yelled. Erik and Rogue nailed him with twin glares of Death. "Shut up Bobby."  
  
"So, what do we do with Apocalypse's ship?" Pyro asked, as they made their way outside.  
  
"Huh," Scott stared at it. "I suppose we can't really leave it here."  
  
"Indeed we cannot," Xavier said as he and Storm came into view, Storm carefully controlling the winds to ensure that his wheelchair did not fall.  
  
"Such a powerful device cannot be left here unattended. It would be better to destroy it, rather than permit it to fall into the wrong hands."  
  
"Why are you looking at me Charles?" Erik bristled. "Surely I have proven myself to you by now."  
  
"I meant no offence Erik, but someone must ensure the vessel's destruction, and I believe you are the best suited to that."  
  
"Well okay, go ahead and blow it up and let's go home," Rogue said wearily.  
  
Behind her, the others were collapsing the cave entrance, and her words were almost drowned out by the sound.  
  
Xavier and Eric exchanged glances. "I believe that Charles is about to tell us that it won't be that easy." Erik said slowly. "Such a device has survived for so long, and been through so much, we do not know what trying to simply blow it up will do."  
  
"So... what will you do then?" Rogue asked.  
  
Erik sighed. "I'm going to have to take it far away, aren't I Charles?"  
  
"It doesn't have to be you," Xavier said suddenly. "I could do it."  
  
"Don't be an idiot Charles," Erik snapped. "You could take it, but you would never be able to get back. Only I can do both. It has to be me. Besides, if you went, who would look after your precious X-Men? ME? I don't think so."  
  
"No..." Rogue murmured. "You're going? When will you be back? How far will you have to take it?"  
  
Erik sighed. "We're going to have to err on the safe side Rogue. I'm going to be gone for a while." He glanced at Xavier. "Can we have a minute please?"  
  
"Of course," Xavier started to herd the other mutants away. Wanda and Pietro hung back.  
  
"Father?" Pietro questioned nervously. "I... I..." He stared at his feet.  
  
"It's alright Pietro, I understand," Erik said solemnly. He looked at Wanda. "I'm sorry I'm leaving you again."  
  
"I'll yell at you about it later," Wanda said. "You'll be back. You're ALWAYS back." She grabbed her brother's arm. "Come on, idiot." The twins walked off together, not looking back once.  
  
Erik turned back to Rogue. "I'm sorry," he repeated. "But..."  
  
"You have to, Ah know. You have to save the world, because even thought you're a villain you want to help mutant-kind... blah blah blah..."  
  
"You're angry with me."  
  
"Of course Ah am! But that doesn't mean Ah don't understand!" Rogue dashed tears away from her eyes. "Just come back, that's all Ah'm saying."  
  
"I will. I promise, I will. Here, I want you to have this," Erik handed Rogue a ring.  
  
"Erik," she gasped. "It's beautiful!" She slipped it on and admired it, before frowning slightly. "Isn't this one of the rings that was the key to Apocalypse's tomb?"  
  
Erik blushed. "I found it there."  
  
Rogue shot him a look. "You know, this is stolen."  
  
"Is it?" Erik blinked innocently. Or tried to anyway.  
  
"First you give me a stolen key ring, now a stolen ring. Ah sense a disturbing trend here." Rogue gave him an arch look. "Ah thought you were supposed to be rehabilitated?"  
  
"One step at a time," Erik smiled. "Besides, I didn't steal them."  
  
Rogue frowned at him.  
  
"Oh very well." Erik sighed. "I promise that the next gift I give you will be purchased honestly."  
  
"From money not gained by nefarious evil schemes."  
  
"Don't push your luck."  
  
Erik smiled and kissed her. "Take care of yourself Rogue. I love you."  
  
She stared at him and he released her, before flying up to the vessel. Moments later, it glowed and vanished, leaving Rogue alone.  
  
The End....  
  
...except for the epilogue to come. 


	14. Epilogue

Magnetic Personalities  
  
An X-Men: Evolution Fanfiction  
  
By Jaelle and Orla  
  
Epilogue: Disclaimer: All belongs to Marvel. etc, etc, etc. Damn it all.  
  
The sun beat down on the back of the exposed neck of the man walking towards the Xavier Institute. He stopped outside the gates and regarded the mansion with a small smile. Nothing seemed to have changed, not even after five years.  
  
There was a large explosion from the back area and a basketball took a chunk out of the wall nearby as it came hurtling past.  
  
No, nothing had changed at all.  
  
Shaking his head, he opened the gates and walked through, coolly disabling any of the alarms or internal security as he approached the front door. Just as he reached it the door opened and a young woman stared at him, her brown hair was cut short and she was dressed in casual clothes.  
  
"Magneto?"  
  
Erik smiled, "Hello, ah... do I know you?"  
  
The woman pouted at him. "It's ME stupid! Kitty!"  
  
"Kitty?" Erik blinked. "You've grown."  
  
"No duh! It's been five years!" Kitty beamed. "So, you destroyed the thingie I guess?"  
  
"Yes. And don't ask how."  
  
"Okay. Well what are you standing around for? Come on in? You're not evil again, right?"  
  
"No." Erik smiled and didn't offer any further information.  
  
"So, uh, how was your trip?"  
  
"Long."  
  
"Are we going to get anything more than words of one syllable out of you?"  
  
"Possibly."  
  
"Rrgh!" Kitty put her hands on her hips and glared at him.  
  
"ERIK! You're back!" The blue-furred form of Kurt bounced down the stairs and hugged him tightly. "Bout time! We thought you'd be gone for months, not YEARS!"  
  
"It was a bit more difficult than I'd anticipated," Erik admitted. "How is, ah, are you?"  
  
"I'm fine," Kurt smiled slyly, "And so is everybody else. Including you know who?"  
  
"Father!" There was a blur and Pietro stood in front of Erik. He was taller, Erik noted, and more muscular, wearing a modified version of his original costume. "I don't believe... hey, you guys checked, right?"  
  
Kurt looked startled and sprang back. "Uh, Kitty?"  
  
"I forgot," Kitty admitted. "Hang on, let me grab the stuff."  
  
"Checked? Stuff?" Erik was baffled. "What's going on?"  
  
"Well, after the LAST Magneto that nearly destroyed the mansion, we've gotten into the habit of checking identities more thoroughly," Pietro said. "Do you have any ID."  
  
"No. Strangely enough, I don't," Erik glared flatly at his son. "I see YOU'RE still as idiotic as ever."  
  
"I think this must be the real one," Kurt whispered.  
  
Kitty phased up through the floor and pointed a small boxy object at Erik. It made a whirring, beeping sound and she looked thoughtfully at it.  
  
"Okay, he's for real!"  
  
"Father!" Pietro said, opening his arms wide. "Welcome back."  
  
Erik glared at him again before sighing and accepting a brief hug. "Please tell me you're not all going to do this?"  
  
"I'll go and let everybody know!" Kitty said.  
  
"Me too!" chimed Kurt.  
  
"Bet I can make it before you do!" Pietro yelled and zipped away.  
  
Erik stood in the suddenly empty foyer. "Uh..."  
  
"Some things never change, do they, sugah?"  
  
Erik slowly turned and let out a small sigh as he regarded the young woman standing in the passageway. She moved forward slowly and hesitantly, her eyes fixed on his face. She'd changed, he noticed. She was taller and her hair was longer now. She no longer wore quite as much makeup as she used to, restricting herself to dark eyeshadow and leaving off the dark lipstick and pale foundation.  
  
"Rogue," he breathed, reaching out for her. "I've missed you..."  
  
"It really is you," she said, taking his hand in her gloved one. "Ah, Ah can't believe it."  
  
Erik gently tugged her glove off and linked their fingers together. "Believe."  
  
They stared into each other's eyes for a long moment.  
  
"Oh PLEASE. I know you haven't seen each other for a long time, but this is vomit-inducing!"  
  
"Shut up Wanda," said Rogue.  
  
"Hello Wanda," Erik sighed.  
  
Wanda looked down at them from the stairs, before turning and leaving, a pleased smile hovering on her lips.  
  
"Right, where were we?" Rogue asked.  
  
"I think we were in the 'staring soulfully into each others eyes and causing everyone around us to be very ill' moment," Erik said, with an amused smile.  
  
"Alright, so from there, what? Do we go for the awkward catch-up, or the lip-lock? Because personally, Ah'm voting for the latter."  
  
Erik didn't even bother to reply as he tugged her close for a kiss. After a while they parted.  
  
"Ah, ahem, I suppose at this point I should ask if you're seeing anyone else," he said, a bit embarrassed and hopeful.  
  
"Well... Ah did go on a date with Gambit once..."  
  
"WHAT??!!"  
  
"But it didn't work out. And we just realised we were better off as friends."  
  
"Wait a minute, Gambit's here?"  
  
"Yeah! He's one of the instructors here," Rogue grinned. "We kind of co- opted your team. With the exception of Sabretooth. We didn't want him. And Logan threatened to turn him into shish-kebabs anyway."  
  
"Instructor? GAMBIT?!"  
  
"Mmmhmmm, as am Ah," Rogue smirked. "Ever since mutants came out of the closet, we've had a whole lot more students and most of the senior X-Men stayed on to teach."  
  
"WHAT?!" Erik reeled. "What?"  
  
"You like that word, don't you?" She giggled. "Mutants finally admitted their existence 'bout four years ago. There were just too many things going on to keep things under wraps. And you wouldn't believe some of the characters who've come out of the woodwork since then! There's this WEIRD psycho Mr Sinister who's COMPLETELY obsessed with Scott and Jean, and don't even get me started on the kids thing. Oh, that reminds me, Scott and Jean got married two years ago."  
  
"Well, there's a big surprise," Erik snorted. "But what else happened when mutants came forward?"  
  
"It was awkward for a while," Rogue admitted. "Lot of people hated us. There's an organisation called the 'Friends of Humanity' who think we're all freaks. And get this, they're led by this guy who not only happens to be the son of Sabretooth, but also Mystique!"  
  
Erik tried to take all of this in. "But we're not hunted? Not persecuted? Numbered? Shipped into camps."  
  
Rogue's face softened. "No. Oh, people have tried variations of those things. But after the rather gruesome destruction of society in Genosha, the one place that put all that stuff into effect, cooler heads prevailed. Things are still a bit tense, but we're not hunted. And the X-Men are there to keep the peace."  
  
Erik couldn't quite believe that things were that simple, and said so. Rogue nodded, "Sure, there's going to be tough times ahead. But Ah thing Xavier's dream for a world for all is obtainable, and Ah'm happy being a part of that." She looked seriously at him. "Ah won't give up. Can you accept that?"  
  
His eyes softened. "I'll do my best. And if I do, could you accept me?" He drew a small object out of his pocket and held it out.  
  
The ring sparkled in the palm of his hand.  
  
"It's beautiful," Rogue breathed. She shot him a glare, "You DID get this one honestly, didn't you?"  
  
"I made it," Erik said primly. "From items I found that didn't belong to anyone," he stressed the final word.  
  
Rogue blushed faintly, "Okay, okay, I was just askin'." She took the ring and started to put it on her middle finger of her left hand.  
  
"Ah, no, it's for this finger," Erik gently removed it and slipped it halfway down her ring finger, before looking at her questioningly. "Well, will you?"  
  
"Oh!" Rogue gasped, blushing even more furiously. "Ah, well... ummm..."  
  
He waited nervously.  
  
"Yes," she said finally, with a huge smile. Erik let out the breath he'd been holding and pushed the ring firmly on. Rogue admired it for a moment. "What kind of stone is that?"  
  
"I have no idea," he said, shrugging. "I told you, I found it. Far away from here. It was unusual, and that reminded me of you."  
  
"Awww... that's sweet." Rogue looked teasingly at him. "For a big, bad villain you can be a real teddy-bear sometimes."  
  
"And if you tell anyone about it I will have to take drastic measures." He lent in to kiss her.  
  
"Welcome home," she whispered, closing her eyes.  
  
_ Yes, welcome home Erik. We have much to discuss._  
  
_NOT NOW, CHARLES! LATER!_  
  
Xavier withdrew from his mind, leaving behind a mental chuckle, and Erik sighed.  
  
"Right, where were we?"  
  
The End 


End file.
